


Voices Holding Color

by Screaming_Willow



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Blood, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Friendship, Graphic Description, Happy Ending?, Other, Possession, Sensory Overload, Slight horror, Synesthesic!Jeremy, Text Not Found., Trapped, What-If, getting through it together, hand holding, nvm the previous one there is a shit ton of horror, please be safe!, slight gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-02-27 13:51:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13249560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Screaming_Willow/pseuds/Screaming_Willow
Summary: Decision, decision.Hard to make.Right or Bad.They're still some sort of consequence and reward.-Consequences.Sometimes, they come with a reward.And sometimes, you die.[Originally titled: Holding Your Hand Seems Like The Best Option In This Situation.]





	1. Hello

**Author's Note:**

> Much Longer Chapters Will Ensue (trust me.)

When Jeremy accepted the upgrade, he was -basically- thrown into the darkness.

He didn't know. When he accepted, he just thought the SQUIP would give him more options; have a little more control. But pain siezed him and he couldn't breathe, or feel, or see.

When the pain stopped, he opened his eyes. Dark room, but light illuminated from multiple places. There were screens, but only two were operating.

Jeremy felt compelled toward the one to his left. Confused, he shuffled quickly toward it. He stared at it, finding he didn't have to squint. He then noticed he was wearing his glasses. He looked down at himself to find he was wearing the same clothes he had on when he took the SQUIP. He hugged his worn blue cardigan, happily.

He looked back at the screen and he watched the blur of people. He was looking through his eyes. He was watching his body talk with Brooke; The poor girl didn't even know...

"Yo- what!? Holy shit!"

A -vaugely familiar- voice shouted, echoing in the room.

 _Red_. The voice was _red_ mixed with swirls of _bright greens_ and waves of _dull blue_. It was _white_ on the edge, not rugged; smooth. _Black_ specks littered it.

Jeremy loved it. It was calm, beautiful, trustworthy-

Jeremy whipped around, seeing a short figure run at him, before it jumped and pulled him to the ground.

"Jeremy Heere!"

The colors sparked in brightness with an added hint of _yellow_ so bight it almost hurt.

Jeremy groaned, but he stared at the person that brought him the seemingly non-existant floor.

"R-rich...?"

The Rich-looking boy nodded vigirously, grinning wide. There was a wide gap between his two front teeth, and the colored streak in his hair was very faded, showing the original color it was.

Jeremy sat up, hugging Rich.

"Rich! I've never been so happy to see you-"

"I know! And I've never been so happy to see your tall ass!"

Jeremy snorted and pushed Rich off him, earning and loud giggle from the shorter.

Jeremy stopped laughing, taking in the situation.

"Rich."

The former looked up at him, "Yeah? Wassup?"

"Where are we...?"

Rich stared hard at the wall, "Uhm, don't know? Didnt really ask, since no one was here, except that one dude for a while, before you showed up! So I'm guessing it's where the SQUIPs reside!"

"I thought they were in our heads..."

Rich shrugged.

His head suddenly turned, "Oo- It's Halloween! Jake's Party is tonight-!

The muffled sound of yelling, laughs, amd terrible pop music echoed around the room.

The colors clashed to form an ugly pattern that made Jeremy squeeze his eyes shut for a few seconds...

Jeremy searched for the sorce of the offending noise, only to jump when Rich tugged on his shirt.

Rich grabbed Jeremy's wrist, pulling him to the screen opposite of his. Blurs of people dancing in costumes and drinking booze. Jeremy saw Rich's hand grab a cup and down in.

Rich's form began to glitch and the screen was darkening.

Rich's blinking body looked at him, "Dº nþ worry," His voice was wobbly and distorted, "I'£ l b€ right baçk!"

Rich grayed, and sizzled out of the room, like static. He was replaced by a man in a billowing cloak. Taller than Jeremy, a scowl covering his features.

He was yelling, cursing, spitting out insults in many languages. Jeremy stepped back, not expecting his steps to echo.

The man's head snapped toward the noise, spotting Jeremy.

"...Jeremy Heere." It looked quizically at the boy.

_**Gray. Black. Green. Dull. Rigged.** _

It suddenly dissappered, leaving him to look around wildly, before jumping nearly ten feet when it spoke behind him, "Pitiful."

The colors played with his vision.

Jeremy backed away from it, his breathing picking up. He felt his back hit one of the screens. Rich's screen. He glacnced at the screen, Rich was running around asking people for something he couldn't make out. The SQUIP advanved on Jeremy pulling him away from the screen, slamming him onto his back. He groaned, struggling to get back up. The SQUIP stood over him, cloak covering them in darkness.

It's jaws unhinged; teeth grew to shap points. Black ink spilled from its mouth, threating to swallow Jeremy whole. He curled in on himself, making himself smaller.

But, then:

The room began to flush _red, orange, and yellow._ The SQUIP gllitched out and It fucking screeched. An animalistic sound that made his ears ring.

 ** _Black_** and **_white_**. Clashing.

Jeremy covered his ears and the sound became warbled and glitchy. Tears streamed down his face until the red and black that surronded him dissappered and the cold hands dissappered.

He was alone...

Jeremy looked around. He couldn't see. Everything was blurred, surronded by an equally smudged black. Jeremy tugged his cardigan sleeve.

"Rich!?"

_Red, blue, green, white, black, yellow. Calm._

A warm hand held Jeremy's, "Yo."


	2. Hold My Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask Any Questions Needed

Jeremy squeezed the hand holding his, "W-where are you-"

"Jere- I'm right here- are you okay?"

Jeremy felt his eyes shift around, till they landed on the blurry figure in front of him. It was Rich.

 _Soft grays_ edged his vision. Worry...

"Oh- you dropped your glasses! I didn't even know you had glasses!" Rich slipped Jeremy's glasses on his face. The blur cleared up, but the black around the edge stayed.

"I d-don't wear them of-often... contacts." He stated, simply.

Rich gave him a wierd stare, "What's wrong?"

Jeremy felt the sweat drip from his forehead, despite being freezing cold. He shook his head, using his free hand to mess with a stray curl; tugging on it.

Rich let go of Jeremy's hand, to which Jeremy tried not to whine at. He enjoyed the warmth of Rich's hand. He enjoyed  Rich's presence, really. It let him know he wasn't alone.

"What happened... where did you go-" Jeremy mumbled.

Rich hummed, "I got tried to get rid of it."

"It?"

"The SQUIP."

**_Black. Gray. White. Clashing._ **

"H-how."

"I figured: If I need green Mountian Dew to boot it up, then red must shut it down! So I ran around, asking for some. I ran into your friend- the anti-social headphones kid-"

"Michael-"

"Yeah, him! And He ran off before I asked if he had some. I _think_ he was looking for you! I kept running around, and  then _I_ ran into _you_ \- or, y'know, _your body_ \- and I had to play it cool so I asked it and it said no and shit like that. But then I realized, there's only two ways to rid of a SQUIP, and the first didn't work, so I moved to plan B!"

"Plan B?"

"I was gonna kill us."

Jeremy wouldv'e screamed, shout, become enraged. But he, in all honesty, didn't care anymore.

"Oh."

"Yeah- So I grabbed a bunch of alcohol, lit a match, and screamed 'FIRE.' I made sure everyone got out. Except you. I grabbed you and basically wrestled you as the fire grew near. I had to knock out your body- SQUIP- whatever. I waited for the fire, but Jake and Michael, they burst in from the opposiye room of the fire. But the fire already reached us. Everything went black. I don't think we died. We might just be unconsious. When your screen is back on, we can watch what happens."

Jeremy nods, "Okay."

Silence. _Clear_ , untainted silence.

"What happened to you?"

Jeremy shakily looked at Rich, "Have you ever seen your SQUIP?"

Rich looked taken aback by the question. He brought his hand up to scratch his head, "Sometimes. Never saw their face, though. It was covered by a hood."

"It's terrifying." Jeremy wispered.

"You've seen it!?"

Jeremy nodded. "It was nothing, yet everything. It was terrible. It can unhinge its jaw and scream and hurt and- I didn't like it, Rich. Not at all."

If this was real life, and Jeremy had told him about a silly nightmare that creeped him out, Rich would've told him to man up. But, he took one look at Jeremy's eyes, and he swore he'd hurt anyone who hurt this poor boy. The normally soft grayish-green eyes were sharp woth fear and hurt, like he had seen a child die. Like he just lost his best friend. Like he almost just died, or shown his worst fear.

Rich realized that this was real life. It was a horrbily real life. He hesitantly reached his hand out touch grab the former's hand again. Jeremy squezzed it and sighed.

"It was _**gray**_ and _**black**_ and _**white**_. It clashed and flooded my eyesighy. I couldn't breathe. It was spiked and such a _**bright blue** _ it hurt- Rich, it hurt."

The sudden buzzing of a screen shocked both boys. Rich tugges Jeremy up, and they ran to the monitor.

"It's Jenna!" Rich squealed.

"Jenna-?"

"She's the gossip girl, but she's a really sweetheart!"

"What is she doing?"

Silence enveloped the boys as the saw the SQUIP give Jenna a gray, oblong pill and a Mountian Dew. They saw Jenna shrug and walk into the girls bathroom.

"What the hell!" Rich shouted, "What's it trying to do!?"

Jeremy shook in his spot, "It's... tricking her. It's tricking her into taking a SQUIP..."

Rich face-palmed himself with his free hand.

To thier right, a new screen buzzed to life. A new figure came into view.

"Jen!"

The person whipped around, "Rich?"

 _Purple_ swirls and _bright Magenta_. Curled together. Not as beautful, but bright and working. Fun and bubbly.

Rich pulled Jeremy along to met the girl on the other side of the room.

Jenna rushed forward pulling Rich into a tight embrace, "Oh-m-gee! You're alive! Holy shit, I have to text Chlo-" Jenna stopped when she noticed Jeremy, and the screens, and the room.

Jeremy could feel his breath hitch and he swallowed. What if she hates him. Mocks him? Hurts him? It was his fault this was happening-  right?

"Where are we, what's going on? Why is Jeremy here? I saw him just two minutes ago in a diffrent outfit- what?" Jenna tugged on the ends of her sleeves.

The _purples_ and _magenta_ were sliced with various _blues_ and _softer grays_ than Rich's voice. 

Rich patted her arm, "It's okay, everything is fine! We don't know where we are, but I do know that you get here when you accept your upgrade, and that you can't control yourself unless your SQUIP brings you out or its shut off. Jere is here because he was forced to accept his upgrade."

Jenna nodded, "A SQUIP... a gray, oblonge pill... quantum nano tech- wait! That pill-" Jenna suddenly advanced on Jeremy, pulling Rich's warm hand from his. " _YOU! YOU GAVE ME A SQUIP!?"_

_**Black**._

"Jenna!"

Rich pulled her off Jeremy,"It wasn't him! It was the SQUIP!"

Jenna shook her head and began to pace.

"This is insane."

Rich put an arm on her shoulder. "I know."

He tugged Jenna along towards her screen, it seemed to be staring blankly. 

"Do you have a phone?"

Jenna felt the pockets on the back of her pants. She pulled it out, waving it in Richs face.

"Okay... so -take notes- Jeremy said something to he that I find, odd? It was confusing. He said 'it was black... hurt his eyes.' etcetra. What does that mean?"

Jenna typed at her phone.

"Hearing colors... seeing voices? No... Ah-ha! Here it is!" She sang, "Synesthesia. 'The production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.' In Jeremy's case: He can see the colors of a sound."

Rich stared, confused.

Jenna rolled he eyes, "He can hear the rainbow."

Rich snickered, "Okay- I get it!"

Jenna looked around the room, "Maybe we should go back to him..."  
  
Rich nodded going back.

Rich waddled toward his own monitor fitst.

He wasn't there...

"Jere?"

As Rich turned towards Jeremys monitor to find the lanky boy, a loud, sharp scream echoed around the room.

_"Jeremy-!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask Any Questions Needed


	3. Hide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: panic attack, mention of attempted rape, manipulation.  
> Please be careful

When Rich and Jenna turned to the boy, their gasps were simualtanious.

Jeremy's hand was against the monitor, which was a bright blue static. _Smoke_ rose from his hand, as if it was on _fire._ Circuts littered his face, branching from his eyes, trailing his arms and hands, running across his neck, outlining jagged, pink scars. They were **_turquoise_** and **_black_** and **_white_**. Colors Jeremy used to describe Rich's Squip.

Jenna snapped out of her shock, racing towards Jeremy. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled. She tugged at his arms and groaned as she pulled.

Rich looked up at Jenna's groan and rushed to help. He pulled at Jeremy's arm, tugging at his hand before flinching back as a dull shock ran through him. Rich stared at his hand. He already made his silent vows, and if this was Jeremy's pain -sharper than his, less dull-? Then he'll bring him out.

Rich motioned for Jenna to step back, to which she reluctantly let go. He jogged a few feet, before full on running towards Jeremy, arms stretched wide -just like when he first arrived-.

Rich effectively tore Jeremy away from the screen, which turned dull and showed a static-y version of Jeremy's vision.

Jeremy's eyes were blank, dull. He muttered things as Rich inspected him. He looked at his head;  the circuts pale, but still visable. The scars trailing his neck swam into the vast unknown of Jeremy's shirt.

".... pitiful children..."

Rich stopped inspecting the supposedly seared hands, "The fuck-?"

Jeremy suddenly sat up. He looked like he might cry, but no tears flowed.

Jenna sat beside him, "Jeremy?"

He was shaking, and not even the _pale blue_ lurking in Jenna's signature _magenta_ could calm him.

"T-the SQUIP... it- it-"

"It what, Jere?" Rich took his hand in his, squeezing tight.

"Halloween... it- Chloe- she-"

Jenna grabbed his other hand, "Take your time, honey."

"Sh-he didn't know! S-she said B-brooke-. She forced me to drink alcohol? The-the SQUIP "powered off". It wouldn't let me up- S-she didn't get far... cuz' Jake- oh my god-  Jake. Jumped out the window saving u-us-."

Jenna felt shocked. She was basically just told that Chloe nearly raped Jeremy and the SQUIP almost let it.

Jeremy took a shaky breath, "SQUIP... t-turned on... Michael- oh god Micah- Micha, _red._.. _gold_ , soft, _gray_... called him a- a loser. Lef-t him in  the bathroom. Rich grabbed me... the fire..."

Jenna noodded in encouragment,  "The fire...?"

Rich had his head low, "Set it to kill us. No body, no mind, no SQUIP."

Jenna  could barely process the information, "but, Jake and, uhm, Michael, grabbed you two. They climbed out the window..."

Jeremy nodded.

"Then, t-the Smartph-phone hour..."

Jenna flinched.

Jeremy noticed and changed the subject, "SQUIP... gave out more SQUIPs...  Save the pitiul children.. it said. That's.... all I remember..."

Rich looked at Jenna,  "If it gave out more SQUIPs, more people should be showing up... right?"

His answer was multiple buzzes of new screens.

"-ied it mysel-? What on earth?" 

 _Light brown_ and _deep red_. They  didn't go together, but  it was perfect for this voice.

"M-mr.Reyes?"

"Jeremy? Richard- Jenna Rolan?"

Mr.Reyes scratched head and opened his mouth to speak, but was interuptted by a new voice-

"Jerry?"

"Jeremy!?""

Brooke and Chloe-

Brooke's _dulled out teal_ and _yellow_ , slashed with _pink_. Soft.

Chloe's voice was sharp, _green_ and _blue_ , _cold, cold blue_. _Pinks_ and _purples_ that choked each other.

Jenna stood up, "Oh no-"

"Jenna!?" Chloe.

"What's going on-" Reyes.

Rich snapped up, "Yo! Shut the fuck up!"

Everyone silenced, except for Jeremy's ragged breath.

Chole's heels tapped impatiently, "I demand to know what's  going on."

Rich, all five foot five inches of him, stalked up to Chloe.

"SQUIP. Super computer. Used Jeremy's body to trick you. He never actually went to Halloween. Never slept with Chloe-"

"I slept with him?-"

"No- just- I'll explain later- It's tricked you into a happy little hivemind."

Jeremy shakily stood.

"Rich."

Rich stared up at Chloe, daring her to speak.

"Rich."

Rich snapped towards Jeremy, about to  say something but was silenced by  the scene.

Jeremy's monitor sparked, that ugly **turquoise** color.

**Black, white, gray, turquoise... bright turquoise.**

"Run. Hide. Please."

Rich backed up hearding everyone behind him.

Chole almost yelled before Rich turned to her and her angry, fustrated greens met his tired, worried, and fearful blues.

Everything  fell sillent -even the static hum of the monitors-  until a loud, booming voice shook the room:

" **JEREMY HEERE."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If youre confused:  
> Rich- Red, yellow, and deep green, with white.  
> Jenna- Magenta and Purple, sometimes laced with cobalt blue.  
> Michael- Bright red, gold, gray.  
> Brooke- Teal and yellow and pink.  
> Chloe- Sharp Sky Blue, lime green, deep violet and bright pinks.  
> (Slight spoil:)  
> Jake- Bright Orange, Soft Pink, Deep indigo, light red.  
> Christine- purple and soft teals and greens.  
> Kim Heere (Dad)- red-Orange and soft green  
> (No more spoils-)  
> Mr.Reyes- Light Brown and Dark Red  
> SQUIP- ELECTRIC BLUE/TURQUOISE BLACK WHITE.
> 
> Italics and stuff:  
> Normal slant- Safe and calm  
> Slanted Underline- Unsure, slighly scared.  
> Bold- run evil no stop hurts
> 
>  
> 
> my dorm mate told me: "dont do it Will. Dont do it."  
> My theater major ass: "i did it."  
> dorm.mate: damn it willam o'ford!"
> 
>  
> 
> Hahahahhhahahaha


	4. Be Safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so proud of this achapter

The voice glitched and sputtered, warbled and grotesque. Jeremy felt a shiver course through his vains. The room was lightly illuminated by the screens, showing off the small room. There aren't many places to hide...

Jeremy hoped they were safely hidden, out of sight.

" **WHY ARE YOU TENSE? THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR POSTURE, JEREMY.** "

"S-sorry-"

" **YOUR STUTTER IS STILL PERSISTENT. THAT'S NO GOOD**."

"Oh-"

" **YOU MUST LISTEN.** **I HAVE A PROPOSITION**."

"A- uh, a what?"

 **"A PROPOSITION. A PROPOSAL**." The SQUIP let out a huff of annoyance, which sounded like a record disc being scratched.

Jeremy wrung his hands together, shutting his eyes as if it'd make the colors go away.

**Black, white, turquoise**

**"I CAN FIX YOU. HELP YOU. DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE YOUR GOAL. CUT TO THE CHASE."**

**black white turquoise.**

**"ENOUGH WITH THE COLORS. THAT'S WHY I AM HERE. I CAN FIX THAT. I CAN FIX EVERYTHING FOR YOU JEREMY."**

**turquoise**

**"JEREMY."**

**turquoise.**

**"ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LET ME IN."**

**black**

**"YOU CAN'T JUST LISTEN. YOU HAVE TO OBEY."**

Jeremy tugged at his hair as the colors flooded his vision, surrounding the SQUIP, the only thing he could see. **Black** and **turquoise** , surrounding the worst mistake he's ever made. The black surrounding a horrifying image of himself. No longer a Keanu Reeves copy, it was _Jeremy_. 

The glitching hand gripped his shoulder, tighter and tighter. The sly grin adorning its face growing wider and wider. Jeremy couldn't breathe. He wanted out. He wanted out.

" **I CAN LET YOU OUT, JEREMY."**

**Black.**

**Black.**

**White.**

**Turquoise.**

It was _too much_.

Jeremy dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, clutching his arms. 

" **JEREMY. GET UP. YOU'RE EMBARRASSING ME.** "

Even through his color-aideld vision, Jeremy could see the SQUIP switching forms. 

First to Keanu Reeves.

Then, To Jeremy.

Next, His _Mother_.

His _Father_.

 _Michael_.

Rich.

Back to Jeremy.

Each form terrifying, grotesque versions.

Repeating the same words. Over and over. Over again.

" **EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU IS SO TERRIBLE. EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU MAKES ME WANNA DIE."**

Jeremy didn't know where he was. All he could see was **black** , **white** , **turquoise**. The SQUIP. He felt wetness drip on his cheeks.

Then, suddenly.

"Hey! Fucker!"

_Yellow. Red. Green._

Rich.

 _No_.

The stout for of Richard Goranski stood beside him, fists clenched at his side, anger even more real than ever, apparent.

 The SQUIP's eyes buzzed and became static, before inchimg back to a normal looking iris.

" **RICHARD GORANSKI**."

Rich's fist balled up tighter. Jeremy could hear others inching around him, see light colors belonging to them. New colors joined in, familiar but new.

He could see Jenna's _magenta_.

Chloe's _green_.

Brooke's _yellow_.

Mr.Reyes' _brown_.

Rich's _yellows_ and _reds_.

Now, Christine's _cobalts_.

Jake's _orange_.

They became more and more opaque. 

Jeremy could feel Rich's hand slip into his. He gripped it tight, stumbling to stand.

The SQUIP'a gaze burned. It's smile just kept widening. Suddenly, its jaw unhinged, dropping. Its teeth sharpened and ink spilled from its mouth.

 **Black**.

 **White**.

 **Turquoise**.

 _ **Red**_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NO T S OR R Y


	5. Listen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :(

Fear.

It coursed through him; flooded his senses. Black ink dripping from his enemy's mouth. The SQUIP circled them like a predator, stiff and calculating. Its chuckled echoed painfully.

**"Y̵O̸U̸ ̶M̴A̶D̷E̸ ̵F̶R̴I̷E̷N̸D̸S̸.̸ ̵C̵H̴A̸R̷M̷I̷N̷G̸.̶ ̷M̴Y̴ ̷W̶O̷R̸K̷ ̶P̴A̸I̷D̷ ̸O̵F̵F̴.̵ ̴D̶I̷D̶N̴T̵ ̶I̷T̴,̴ ̷J̵E̴R̸E̴M̴Y̵?̸"**

Jeremy's head swung back and forth. He made friends, but not with the SQUIP's help. The glorified floppy disc flung its head back, giving of the sound a static, like a barking laugh.

Ink dripped and splashed, echoing. He could feel hands; warm and real. He couldn't tale his eyes of the damn thing. Its grin seemingly stretching off of its face, features becoming more and more animalistic.

**"Ḑ̵̧̢̡͙͉͚͈̣̼̫̭̠̺̭͇̗̭̹̲̩̖̰̳̫̠͓̺̱̺̻̭̰͔̟̲̗̓̔̄̉͆͐͒̆̿͒̌͛̾̉̆͒̊̃̍͜͝ͅǪ̶̥̝͕̺͉̲͇̜͖͍̭̺͙͋͑͐͌̇̈̈́̈͐̑̽̿̎̓̈͑̃̑̈́̓̌̌̑̚͝͠͠ͅ ̷̢̨̡̨̫̗̻̹͙̺̙̞̘̦̺͈̻̠͈̻̘̪̪̮̘̣̺̜̰͕͖͇̦̥̖̥̫̝̻͈̙̥̣̗͓̫͈͕̇̾͜͜͜͝ͅͅŅ̷͋̉̅̄͑̓̓͂͆̿̑̾̅̉͌̔̆̇̿̀̄͊̊͋̈̓̓̕͘͠Ơ̸̡̨̧̨̨̛̛̮̫̗̻͈̗̳̦̦̜͖̝͓̰̩͈̥̦̤̫̠̞͕̦̻̫͍̥̦͇̙̥̤̻̣̦̩̠͎͚̬̳̈́̌̒̑̏̐͑̿̔̈̈́̍͌̊̇̿̈͒̈́̓͊̈͘͘͠Ț̷̡̧̨̟̮̙̣̟̺͚͎̻̫̰̤͔̼̙̳͔͈͉̪̤̺̲̰̙̺͎̦̲̬̪̭̤̳̰͈͔͓̙͔̮̠̞̲̘̪̤̾̓͝ͅ ̸̢̨̨̢̟̥̼͈͕͇̤̮͇͓̼̬̰̤̻̹̖̜̼̥̖̖̠̹̙̠̻͔̞̻̱͓̯̟̪͕̘͓̬͂̃͛̍̀̋͆͊́́͑͋̈̈́͘͝ͅͅS̶̨̡̨̢̡̨͙̞̹̼̖̞̗̮̹̥̭̜̼͍̳͈̘̪̪͇̙̟̹͔͖̖͎͍̰̥̤̭͈̩̮͚̗̓̑̃͐̆̉̄̀̏̔͂͂͊͐̍̌̾͂̿̎̈́͆̒̎̒̓̀̌̚̕̕͘͝ͅÄ̷̢̛͉͍̣̗̜͖̤͍̖̞̘͓̼̇̎̄̈́̽̆̒̔͌̓͛͗͒͛̃̔̃͊͗̀̈́͊̿̂͗̒̎̎̀̍̍̒̄̆͆͘̚͝͠͠͝Y̷̢̢̢͚̹̜̱̪͖͖̦̪̩̝̰͉̭̖͈̪̩̝̥̰̠̻͈͍̠̯̗͕͉̲̰̼̝̟͈̲̳̲͖̳̔̿̓͛̓̏̚͜͜͜ͅ ̶̢̧̨̢̧̱̯̭̮͇̥͓̫̳̼̗̼̗̙̥̜̰̺̏͗͑̀̈́̾̐̉̀̿̉͐̓̃͊͆̆̕̕̚̚͜͝͝N̸̡̨̡̳͖̦͚̰͙͎͇̠͓̥̖̝̝͇̪̺̗͓̱̱͎̙̞͔͍͎̳͚̥̮͉̩̙͖̗͙̣͎͙̥͖̟̭̦͙͎̊̈͌̾͛̒̏̈́̈́͗̔͂͌͋̾̆̌̈̋̑̔́͘̚̕͘͝ͅͅǪ̷̡̨̦̬̰̲̼̜͙͍̩̩̯̖͖̝̣͈͍͙͖̞̬̤̳̪͌̈́̊͒̋̽͛̂͘͜͜͜ ̷̧̥͙̜̰̪͖̟͚̮͙͎̲̻͍̼̎T̸̢̡̢̲̯̣̞̝̫̫̟͉̳̱̥͍͇̙̘͇̺̠̖̠̖͔̖̺̹̺̠͚̪̬͇̟̬̜̝͖͈͔̣͔̪̥͎̈́͑́̔̔͑͋͝ͅͅͅƠ̶̢̛̛̗͈̣͎͎͔̭̩̘̞̭̱̰̠̥̰̼͚̖̳͓̰͖͈̦̜͕̰̜̻̗̠̰̣̰̈͗̂̿̉͊̆̾̓̿̌͗̂͜͜͝͠ ̵̡̢̡̧̛̜̭̰̻̝͖̪̖̰̼̦̗̜̟̹̟̞͖͙̦̈́͌̆̀̑͐̊̓̓̑̿͗̚͘̕̚͘͝M̶̡̨̨̳͈͕͎̠̦͔͙̜͇̳̮͍̼̝͚̳͔̘̦̱͍̳̪̙̬̩̮͇̗̭̩̮̩̩̭͈̑̓̅̾̂͂̆̇̅̿͂͊̈́͒̀̌͗̍̃͌͗̔̈̂͒͋̒̈̑̅̚͘̕̕͘̕̕Ę̴̡̨̮̮̜̺̪̭͉̫̱͓̺͍͓͕͙͉͖̭̭̘̣̪͚̫̳̳̽͌͗̊̍̔̂̅̃̒͆̇̍̉̏͐̉̓̂̓̏̿̂͑̋́̌̀̕̚̚͜͠͠͝.̵̧̞̬̟̪̗̳͖̬̥̼̹̬̱̪̰̩͇̻̰̲̦͕͚̖͐̐͌̽̆͊̊̎̀̅͑̽̂̈́̓͒̿̊̇̕͘͝͝ ̵̧̥͓̝͕̬̙̖̦̪̖̪͙͓͙̍̇͒̊̿̂̎͒̓̈́̒̈́͒̎͗̌̚͘͘͠͝͝J̷̡̡̧̨̛̩͈̪͉̣̰͉̬̝͓̼̠̲͙̩̍̋͆̀̅̀̄̾͊̊͑̓̅̌́̓̅̐̒̌͌̑͑̐͆̃̋̈́͌̚̚͠͝͝Ê̶̢̡̢̡̨̨̨̡̢̛̗͍̘̜͖̫̲̩͓̝̙̞͙̺̩̖̟̗̩̣̜̬͕̤͉̜̻̤̞̻̫͐̃͊̀͆͛͊̆̒̊̆͛͛͒̔̔̐̏̒͜͜͠R̷̡̨̲͕̜̻̬͍̭̠͈͙͉̦̦̭͈̗̥͍̟̹̰̫͓̮͎̤̱̺͑̐͌̉̌̋̇͐͊̉͋̆̍͛͛̈͛̀̉̕͘̕͘͜͝͠͝ͅȨ̸̛͖̯͈̬͔̣̯̖̟̈́̋́̇͛̊̿̒̋͐̀̂̓́̔͠͝Ḿ̸̧̨̨̢̡̢̡̨̻̯̹͚̤̫̰̘̦̮̣̲̺̹̘̣̰̭̬̦̼̥̬̹͙̙̣̙̗̣͚̮̤͗͐̐̈́̃̎̉̐͒͂͛̅̃̔̀̚͜ͅͅÝ̸̢̧̡̡̭̤̲̥̜̖̯̮͖̗͎̰̠̘̱̞̻̯̖̘̙͐̌̓̀̑̉̑͗̃̈́̒̿̒͗̓̈́̊͗͊́͜͝͝͠͝ͅ.̷̢̢̡̨̧̧̢̬͙̤͉̳̱͚̖̺̭̦̰̬̩̤͖̼̼̣̘͙͚̭̻̖͕̭͚̩̦̗͔̝̥͖͕̃͋͊̆̈́̍̊̓̽̓͝͝ ̸̡̢̛̛͕͙͚̘̯̣͖̯̳̖̞͇̙̯̮̖̗̝̀̔͛̂̃̀̇̒̓̓̇̈́͒͆̀͆̐͗̐͛̂̇́̓̉̈̄̕̚̕̚͝͝͝͠Y̵̡̧̢̯̝͈͕͖͔͈̥̼̭͉̪͎̖̜̤̝̖̖̣̝͉͕͍̝̰̜̩̙̯͎͙̞̠̣͓̝͙͚̙͕̙̯̥̊̈́͐͊͗͗͑̅̃͒̑͑̀͒̓̃̿̈́̋͑̈́̇̉̅̃̔̐̒̓̈́̈̃̈̃̕̚̚͝͝͝Ǫ̶̛̪̠͎̥̮͑͌͊̇́́̈́̇̾̃̍̆̉̅̇̕͜͠U̶̡̮͉̟͈͕̖͓̞̳͓̺̣̹͔̍͒͂̈̎͒͝ͅ ̷̧̨̢̛͉̺̲͖̥̙͔͎͇̘̯̝̺͍̎͐̃̌̇̀̐̿̆̈̒̊̽͌͗̎̃̎͛̅̓̽̽̂̽̓̈́͂̋̅͋̆͘̚͘̕̕̚͜͠͠Ç̶̢̨̨̭͈̞̠̦̬͙͙̹̗̘̟̜͎͈̱͉̫̭̰̙̘̆͂̆̋̏̊͆À̷̼̜̠͈͓̞̝̦͆̑̂́̈́̈́͒͂͒͜͝ͅŅ̶̢̢̨͎͖̳͇̩̦̜͇̗̯̮͈̼̟͉̙̗͎͓̲̯̩̥̠̪͇̰̲̺̦̤̟̹̣̝̰̯͎̫̲͂̾͒̊̿́̏̒͗̎̐ ̵̨̨̡̛̪̭̙̺̼̟̲̜͈̻̭̩̥̭̜̳͈̻̙͕̮̼̺̙̮̲̗̫̫͔̳̖̠̟̬̘̠̟̯̜̤̹̻̤̺͈̞̂͂͛̽͂̈̆͒̑͆͆̄̃̏̾̔͗̅̇̈̃̕͜͜͝͝N̴̨̢̡̧̨̨̢̩̳̗̤̹̩̯͔͕̟̲̙̖͖͍͖̜̝̼̼͇͕̝̖̹͕͈͎͙͎̮̾͛̑͂̒̒̓͋̈̃̂̓̑͌͌̆̽͛͆͋̒͋̂̓̌͋͑̋̈́̐̂́̎̌̉̾̄̉͠͠͝ͅḚ̷̢̨̡̧̡̧̨̨̨̛̱̗̻̣̘͚͍̗͖̤̪̤̤̗͖̼͙̞̞͊͂̊̈́͒̆͒̔͐̽̾͒́̈́̓̓̓̑̏̒͗̋̉̒̑͆͐́̉̍͑̽̈́̄̈́̀̉̐̕̚͘̕̚͜͝͝͝͝ͅV̷̺̪̗̣̰̝̭͉͓̖̪̮̪̰͎̠̾̅̅͒̏̍̍̂̐̈́̒͑͑̏͂̾̏̔̐̍̿̔͊͊͊̌͛̽͆̌͒̚̚̕̚͘͝͠ͅE̵̛͉͎͙͍̻͚̣̣̭̰̖̜̮̘̓̾̄̌̒̂́̅̓̎͛̈͂̾̈́̾͜͠͝ͅR̷̨̧̠̲̣̘̺̣̝̭̘͓͈̙̯̠͉̙͓̗͓̠̘͓̜͇̹̥̲͖̪͙̠̟̥͎͍͕̯͇̳͙̬̞̭̤̈̋͋̍̈́̃̍̂̓̄̒͆̋̍͆͆͛̀̈́̏̓́̓͗͂̆͛̆͋̂̾̎́͛̈́͘̕͜͝͠͝͝͝ ̸̨̧̖̞̳͖̹̗͈̫̩͔̼̩̜̠̲̤̙͖̻͍̤̱͎̘͓̪̩͉̳̮̻͎̤̣̈́̿̒̏̓͛̈́̈̀̄̅͜͜͝ͅͅS̷̡̡̡̨̨̧̨̡̛̟̦̼̮͕͈̖̬̺͕͖̩̠̭͇̺̝̠̩͕̬̲͈̟̞̪̺͖̝̥͇̘̳͔͇͔̅̈́̓̈́̍̔͋̈́̋̄̈́̔͑͊̚͜͝ͅͅA̶̢͎̼̯̣̙̱̙͇̲͎͇̼̘͚̫͈̫̺͔̗̮̙͎̞̙̠̪̠̘̠͇͙͚̗̿̌̐͌̅̆̒̕͠Y̵̧̧̨̨̛̤̯̦̟̫̤̟̩͉̬̥̣͙̦̝͖̪̜͇̥̫̬̲̱͚̪̺̖̦̻̹̺̠̫͗̋̂͛̌͜͝ͅ ̴̧̡̡̨̱̘̻͕̗͇̼͙̖̥̞͖̹͎̫̦̙͍̫̟̘̖͕̯̙̻͎̮͉̗͚̬͈̠͓͉̤͖̪͚̍̌̋̈́̾͗͒̿̓́̑̈́̃͂̂̑̉̽̊̑̀͘̚͘̕̕͘͘͜͝͝͠͝͝Ņ̸̛͔̖͎͙̖͖̼̣̽͐̂̽́̈́̋͗́́͒͂̽̔̄̑̂̊̐͛͂̎̌̑̇̋͑̆̈́͊̊̈́̓̕̕̚͘͠͝͝͠Ơ̴̧̢̦͎̻̰̹͕̬̖̦͕̮̗̺̫̻̗͕̙̮͚͓͎̦͚̞͕͔̥͆̀̆̇̐̈́̀͗͆̉́̿͆̎̎̎̃̍̋̽͛̇́̾͆̑̉̄͛̌̃̃̇̈͂̚̕̕̚͝͠͝͝.̵̢̛̲̹̫͎̦̟̪̣̦̮̘̫̣̠͉̾̍͗͛͐͋͐͒̌̈͒͛̄͝"**

He couldn't say no.

He could never say no.

He wanted to say no.

The SQUIP cackled, a retched sound like claws on a chalkboard. Hands clasped tighter around him. Soft murmurs and whispers he couldn't hear. He wanted to see _purples and pinks and greens and yellows and oranges and reds and dark blues._ He wanted to see more than **black white and turquoise.**

He felt numb. Numb yet terrified. Horribly terrified. Sharp teeth, sharp claws, ink creating new arms, like dripping black branches.

**_"Y̶̨̖̞͈̩̎͒̚͘O̷͍̭̥̻̻̱̓̄̈́̌̚Ù̵͔̀͝ ̷̘̱͈̤̲̫͗C̸̥̤͓̞̮̱͊͜R̸̨̢̧͎͇̯̾̒͆̂̚ͅE̶̝̜͛̕A̸̳͋̃̅̓̇̍T̶̨̨̺͖͔͙̯̾̂̾̆̚Ȅ̸̢̛̳̱͛͑D̵̡̛͈̻̈̊͗͜͝ ̴̛̦̇̓͝M̸̩̥̿ͅE̶͚̳̝͎͚̗̯̓̈́̍̆̅̾.̶̨̜͖̙͔̅̏̌ ̴̡̟͖͍̽̎̓Ÿ̴̨͓̭̳͓͍́̈͌͐͐̓̕͜Ơ̷̤͙̬̺̼̙̙̋̍̐̐̍̚Ụ̶͔̖̯̫͖̐̌͆̒ ̶̧̢͔̮̹̓̒T̷̡͙̹̼̃͐̈́̓͝Ỏ̷̥̤̻̒̃O̷̲̜̞͈͈̐̄̈́̏̍͘̕K̶͙̩͊ͅ ̵̢͓̫͑̽̑̒M̵͔̒̐̀̓̄̇Ĕ̷̗̜̼̦̖̃͛ ̸͔̂̓̑̇̔́͐W̸̜̊̐̈́̑͝Í̴̛̺̋͑̏̽͘Ľ̷̯͍͕͈̇͗͝L̴̲͕̠̻͇͂̎͛͠͝͠Ĭ̶̢̀̈́ͅN̷͍̦̰̹̤͚̺͐̅͠G̸̛̟̼̣͚͚̈̇̍͊̓͝L̵̹͓͉͖̹̙̳͐̃́Y̴̞̩͖̔̅̔̃͝.̶͎̭̈́͑͋̈́̄̃̒ ̵̺̉̈́̅̓͒̔͠ͅY̶̧̜̱̞͇͊̔̔̊̇͝Õ̸̡̭̙U̸͓͓̝ ̷̙͔̉͌́͗͗̋͜͝ͅT̶̘̹̃̉̈́̾̈́̏O̴̥͎̙̓͛O̴̧̼̖̙̲̼͈̽̆͌͐͒̈Ḵ̸̡̹̟͖̓ ̷̘̦̟͍̖͓̀T̴̨̡͂H̶͙̰͂̉͘͘Ȅ̷̙̦͔̗̌͋͆̂͘͜͝ͅ ̷̖̊̐͗̈́Ů̷̥͙̮̞̰̩̈́̂̇̔̑P̸̠̼̬̥͉͛̓͑̌̈́̑G̸̞̞̽͝R̶͔͖̤͊̉͋̂̉͊̚ͅÂ̴͍̜̌͊̾͂̏̚D̴̞̺͍̘̩̈̂͑̋E̶̛͓̭̠̊͋.̸̰͖̳͠ ̴̢̧̣̰̪̦̹͌È̷̬̩͕͍V̸̤͍̤̾̐̂̇̂̈́͂E̶̟̝̺͛͑̎̌͠͝Ŗ̸̤̹͂̚Ÿ̸̗̬̠̞̱́̈́̋͒T̴̼͙̋͆͌H̷̻̍Ḯ̴̢͙̝̫͓N̷̡̜͒́̅̔̚͝G̵̨̺͚̩̖̯ ̷͈̀͂̈́̄W̵̼̟̪̤͘A̸̻̦̮̫̥̦̭͛̈͐͂͛Ş̴̡̛͔̭̪͋̾̉͑͘ ̵͍̞̣̔͆͗̈́̕͝G̷͖͖̩̹͕͎͐ͅO̵͎͇͖̓̊͗͆̆Į̸̞̞͉͈̖͋͜N̵̥̥̓͊̆͆͊͋͛G̷̫̍̏ͅ ̷̬́Ţ̴̣͔̘̺̔͜Ǫ̶̢̹͔̖̯̋͌̄̚͝ ̶̏̇̑̆͘ͅW̵̝̟̪̓͑̏͌͛Ọ̵̲̖̓Ȓ̶͍͊̒̓Ḱ̴̮̪̬͙̭͈.̷̡͖̖̦͗ ̶̡̹͖͕̺̑Ṫ̸̠̃̈͗̀͒Ȧ̶̧̧̭̰̝̈́̃R̸̨̦̲̝̱͙͍̐G̵̜͚̦͆̍̆͆̕͜Ȩ̵̲̜͈͔͍̾̐Ṯ̸͍̗̣͔̃ ̵̛̗͕̼͎̘̖̉̋̓͑̓͝F̴̡͉͖͎̥̤̌͜Ë̸̪͎́̋͗͛̕M̶͇̠̒̀͐̈̈A̸͍͇̖̞̣̮͛̆̄́L̶̡͔̤̘̪̖̬̇̏͆̔̕Ě̸̤̹͙͙͒ ̸͚͛̎̓̈́̾́W̸̜̝̪͒̈́͘̕Ō̶̢̭̤̣̪͒͊̆̈́̆Ŭ̸̮͕͖̬͕̰̀̅͑̕͜͝Ḽ̸̢̮̌̍D̴̯̮͑͗̂ ̴̢̱̙͛͛̒͆̈͝H̶̛̞̬̹̩̎A̶͇͌̌̈́̈́̽̚V̷̧̖̼͇̩̍̃̑͘͜͜͠E̵̦̩̮̅̂̒ ̸̱͓̩̱̰̇̃B̶̛̳̼͕̯̮͖̮E̷̠͊͝E̸̞̤̠̪̺̍ͅN̵͉̥̤̤̳̳͂̌̿̌̏̔̕ ̸̞̈̕A̶̡̛͉̬͕̓͆͆ͅC̵̪͎̑̔C̴̯͍͍̪͑̈́͌ͅE̸̖͇̻̠̭͎͂̀͌Š̷̛̪͖̜͉̔͗͘͜S̸̞̫͔̼̦͗̔͑̇͆͛͗Ị̸̤̘B̷͙̼̦̦͇̞̳͋̔̍̌͘̕Ĺ̴͉͍̟̣̥̣̽Ḛ̷̡͎͙̽.̶͕̣͓͙̻̩̬͐̕ ̶̢͖͚̮̝͑̉͌T̸̨̛͚̤̗͔̗̔͒́͐̕͠A̵̢̛̻̜͓̬̣̓̋͜R̸̫̭̳͚̻̟̝̃̔̆́̈́͊G̵͈͚̠̲̝͆͝Ę̸̮͙͔̔͛̕͠T̴̢͋̈́ ̷̪̗̟̼̣̭͓̄̋͗̑͝͝M̵̫̞̭͙̦̠̂Ḁ̸͔̠̅͊̓́̚L̷͇̼̙͈̥̙͉̎E̷̜̬̜͓̲͐̆̒̃͗͑̕S̵̢͉̟̋̾̾̾̚͜ ̵̞̪̬̺̞̋̔͂W̴̧̭͖̟͇͓͗́̕O̸̰͕̳̿̍̇U̴̧͕͙̯̤͚͂͗L̵̡̙̮͉̭̗͗̈͑͆͂͘ͅD̷̯̯̬̼̩̜̮̓͗ ̶̛͓̙͂H̷̰͙̞̝̍͛̅̇̂A̵͎̠̒̈B̸̛̝͖͚͚͎̾̿É̶̢̻̫̤̅̑͠͝ ̵̧̬͍̜̝̬̣̓͌̔͠͝͝B̵̢̤̲͚̣͐̉̅͊͜Ė̵̗͙̲̱̜͊̃͒E̵̛͎̟̥͐̅̃N̵͚͙̬̜̂̄͐͊̅ ̸̻͉̽͛Ä̴͖́̊̉̽͆̾Ç̷͕̙͉͐̀̀͋̑̚C̴̡̠̱̘͈͙̒̐̓͛̐͠E̶͙̮͑̍̒̎̌̆́S̷̞͉͇̦̺̾̐͂͋̈́̇͠ͅS̴̛͉̭̏͂͗͑Ȉ̷͓̤̱̺̾́̀̈̇͊B̴̻͔̫̈́Ļ̵̨̻̞͊̈́̏́͝Ȇ̵̛͍̖̎̊̑̊̈́.̵̢̡͉̖̜̩͒̌̆̈́ ̸͖̽͑̃͌͘Ÿ̷̡̧̡͍̤̪͉̓Ỏ̷͙̥̩͙̳̼̀̊̏̽͝Ũ̴̳͂͋̿ ̶̡̞͔͇̇̽̊̉͘C̴̡͙̫͉̈́͑̀̈́̏͘͠ͅO̷̱͓̖̾̅͌̓̕͠ͅU̵̙͝L̶̢̪͓͈̆̓̏̅̍D̷͖͚̀͒̽͛͛͝ ̷̼̗͕̃̕H̵̡̭̠͔̮͖́̒̓A̵͎̱͇̝̠̒͛̆̏̀V̶̧͎͕̞̠́͐̕͝Ê̷̜̜̻̻̜̆̈́ ̷͖̗͂̎͂̕E̵͔͙͑̍V̵̞͇̟̾͒̅̑́͘͜ͅȨ̸͓̖̩̭̳̹̄̎͒̚Ŗ̵͈̟̤̻͔̰̀̈́̚͝Ỹ̸̦̬̳͚̇̉̊T̵̜̘͛͜H̵̝̘̦͖̺͓͊Ĩ̸̧̳̭͉̯̯͋̈́N̸̼̊̈́͋̆̈́͘G̸̯̜̅͒̀̈̋̂.̶̧̡͔͇̻̇͋̔̕ ̸̛̗̮̖͑̓͒́́I̵̜̖̩͚͌̎̏͝F̸͔̖̖̣̖̐̆̄͗̂̆͜ ̴̳͍͌̑̆̔͆Y̸͙̘͚̦͈̭̒O̶̧͔̝̐̋̂̈͠U̶̖͆̎͑̍͝ ̵̡̢̣͎͖̽ͅJ̵̛͓͌̈́U̴̺̠̙̥̻͑͂͝Ś̷̤̣̖͓̓̐͊͊͠T̵̪̦̜͙̻̜̓_..." **

The SQUIP held out a clawed hand, inky limbs hovering them all, _threatening to come down._

_" **L̷̢̧̧̧̨̨̡̡̨̨̧̢̧̡̧̢̧̡̛̛̛̛̛͇̬̥͓̫͎̻͉̮̣͈̲̰̫̖̝̰̮͙̱̗̱͍̯̟̦̺̖̠̬̩̞̦̟͍̯͔͖̥̹̫̼͉͇̗̬̜̖͎̙̤͓̱͔̰͎̘͎͓͚̱̞̱̟̙̬̲̼̜̗̬̤̣̦̣̺̮̖͈̗̘̜̣̤̺̣̙̗̯̱͖̣̰̻͉̽̍̉̀͌͗̒̊́̾̿̽̂̒̓̀̾̄̒̈́̈́͊͛̾͊̒̾͗̽̽̎̔̌͗̾̓̔̓̈́̐́̿̄̎̈́̾̃̅͌̋̎͋̇͌͐̒̏̽̃̃̈̐͊̍͋͋̍̓̎̎̿̐̓̂͂̊̈́̂̈́͂̅̓̅̂̽̊͛̓͐͌̏̑̋̄̿̿̿̃̈́̉͛̔͑̕̚̕̚͘̕͘̕͘̕̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͝ͅͅͅĮ̶̢̡̨̡̢̨̢̨̧̢̨̛̛̛̛̭̱̙̺̠̲̰̪̙͉̫̯͈̮̖̥͇͈̤̦͔̗̦̟̦̬̭̗̦̮̮̙͇̹̻̠͙͖̮̻͇̯̳͇̖̜̘͉̟͔̟̣̼̯͖̜̺̲̙͚͎͉̫͎̠̩̠̗̗̪̥͉̻̪̻̙̭̗̝̟͉̼̖̱͓͙̥̩͕͉̙̹̺̥̘̗͇͔͇̣͈͈̳̠̼̦̭̝̝̹̪̞̺̞̜̫̘͚̘̩̪͙͕̞̟͚̱̞͚̣̠̩͈̲͎͇̳̱̰̲̼̜̹̥͍̭̱͉͔̰̭̪̮̣̩͔̖͇̭̗̦͈̦͈̪̼̫̦͎͙͚̘͚̦̞͎̱͆̉̊͂̊͆̃͌̌͊̏̈̑̆̉̒̃̾̔͂͂̓̓̎̌̑̂̎̎̔̀͒̓͊͂̆̐̍̅̒̏̈́̏̀͗̀̓̋͌͋͒̄̑̈́͗͌̉̒͌̌́̒̋̔̇̋̿̌̓͐̇͆̉̋̄͊̀͑̃̇̏͌̽͂͂̿̂̑̓͒͊̑̄̿̓̈̍̆͛̆̾̈̊͒͛͑̐̃̇̒̇̎̃͑̓̒̊͗̔̏͗̇̒̓̑̎̇̒͛̇̋͛̊̾̀͋͐͐͆̍̆͗͒́̂͐͊̆͒̈́͂̿̿͊̓̈́̎̾͛̈̃̎̾͒̓͆̆̐̾̌̍̈́̏̃̑̔͛̈́͒͘͘̕̚͘͘͘͘̕̚̕̕͘̕͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͠͝͠͝͠͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͠ͅͅͅͅͅͅͅŞ̸̨̢̧̡̧̧̢̨̧̧̧̨̨̢̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̪͔͔̫͙̬͙͓̺̘̮̟̯̝͇̥̖͙͓̖̲̩̯͔̹̘̺̭̯͎͙̻̩̣͖̳͚̭̙̰̺͓̥͉̬͉̠̮̱̥̜̜̠͍͖͚̯͕̮͓͚̳̣̲̠̙̹̭̲̼̯̝͖̪̘̫̱͚͚͓̪̳͚͔̗̮̺̩̯̣̖̣̫͎͈̦̯͎͕̜͚͎͍̗͕͖̳͍̤̺̝̰̱͖͓̤̥͈͓͕̝̤̙̻̙͖̣̣̼̳̤̱̭̦̪̤̥̻͈͉͔̹̳͉̘͙̖͇͚̠̘͉̼̞͇͈͚͇̳̥͓̼̠̠̖͙͉͔͇̹͉͍̭͙͇̣̼͕̤̼͍̘̗̳͙̃̓͆̆̔̏͐̓̅́̂̎͊͊̏͐̊̂̇̈́̑̑̇͋͑̓͆̏̌̆̌̓͆̔͒͌̄̈̽̆̅̆̔̓͌͐͆͊̆̈́̍̾̈́̂̎̍̿̎̀̌̍̓̏͂̄̑͆͊̆̑̌̃͐̾̾̅̌̇̋̂̍̈́̉͌͊̽̽̀̽͗̀̃͆̄̄̾͆́̐̋̅̀̃̂͂̆͂̒́̍̈͌̊͆͊͋͌͂̔̃̒̓̇̏͆̐̂́̌̿͗̍͆̈̈͐͐͒̑̉̐͌͊̋̋͛́̌̋͒̀̂̎̐̿͐̓̒̂̐̿̽̕͘̚̕̚̚̚̕͘̕̚̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͠͠͝͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͠ͅͅͅṮ̷̡̨̨̨̡̧̡̢̡̡̢̛̛̛̛̛̛̺͙̞̙̳̺̣̮̟͎̟͇͇̰͙̟̦̖̗̙̫͕̺̺͉̘̺̤̯̬̳̟͎͉̗̗̳̫͚̥͎̲̱̻̥̺̦͉̙̥͇̬̲͈͍̙͙̹̙̺̜̹̲̻͙̙̩͖͖͇̲̬̜̝̹̞͕̪̰̤̺̦̲̭͕̥̭̲͚͔̟̣̺̻̖͇̣̜̰̟̼̹̘̳̦̩̟̭̣͉͚̫̤͖̻̈́̆̅̆͗̓̑̆̿̅͐̈́̌̂̉̎͆̐̄͗̐̄̐̽̊͂͌̾̽͌̊̇̑̽̌̒͆̏̋̒̅̽̾̏͌̐͒̑̈́͐̈͋͆̊̌͂͂͋̆̆̔̔̒̆̾̀̿̓͗̿͂͋̊͆̓̈́̃͐̿̊̇̑̏̾͆̋͐̆͑͋̈́́̐͊̽̓̿͗͂̓͗̌̾̈́̾͆͊̓̄̅̐͒̉͒̇̈́͒̒͐̌̇̿̇͑̈́͐̓͋̔͂͐̇̄͛̓̊̿͊̔̐͐̽̎̉̽̽̓̏̾̎̾̿̉̅̎̃̈́̆̅͋́̾͐͐̒̒̓̈́̾̅͊̋̓̅͘̚͘̚͘͘͘͘̚̚̚͘̚͘͘͜͜͜͜͜͝͠͝͝͝͠͠͝͠͠͝͝͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅͅȨ̴̧̢̢̡̢̢̨̨̡̧̢̨̢̨̧̡̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̻̹͓͕̩̠͚͙̺̦̥̪̣̙̭̦̤͍̘̳̠͓͖͈͇͓̳̟̜͇̣̙͎̬̦̖̟̥̻͓͓̝̼͕̙͈͔͙̩̥̝̩̬̠̤̼̩̘̺̥͔̠̥̲̗̘̹̠̺̯̘̖͎͇̮̞̺͍̲̠͇̞̟͔̖̺̖̣̫̯̣̟͎̱̻̬͎͎̯̮̻̮̼̜̥͙̹̳̝̙͇̱̲̙͓͙̭̮͙̩̺̭͓͚̬̗̟̰̰̻͔͍͓͖̭̯̥͚̬̲͙̹͙̩̩̻͚̹̥̦̻̳̬̙̥̠̹͔̙̯̯͚͈̗̻̦̙͓̹̣̳͔̹͚̣̳̗̩̰̼̥͍̮̬̯̼̠͈̣̹̩̺̦̞͎͔̫̳̺̗͙̳̬̱̗̪͙͕͖̗̪̣͚̮̏̽̔̔̊̑̉̌͑̈̋̆̋̈̀͗̀̈́͐͗̍̏̃̈́̀̓̽̅̉̀̉̈́͛͗͊̿̇̇̀͐̈́͐͒̇͛̽͆͗̔̒̀͂̔̓͗̓̈́̏̈́̓͛̃̎̎͑̈́̎̓̔̉̄̆̅̓̆͊̉̅͛̋͆̈̐̓̆͒͆̐̊͆͐́̏̈́̔̍̌̏̎͊͗̐̋̿̇̄̋̓̽̑͂̈̏̌̇̈́͆͛͑̐̓̿̄͋̈́͐̅͒̽̑̍̅̎̽̑̓̽̓̒̋̌͆͛̿̃̂̓̓͒͂͗̏̂̑̾͑͂̀͗̆̑͗̏̿̐̍̊̃́̿̄̄̽̓̈́̽̅͗̍͛͑̈́̊̃̑̔͂̈́̉̇̈́͒͑̈́̎͛͘̚͘̕͘͘͘͘̚̚̕̚̚͘͘̕͘͘̚͜͜͜͜͜͝͝͝͝͝͠͠͠͝͠͝͠͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͠ͅͅͅͅͅͅͅͅͅN̶̢̡̨̢̡̢̧̢̢̡̛̰͓̯̮̦̦͍͖̪̣̝̳̣̺̟͉̹̺͉̖̜̠̙̝̜͈̝̺̬̬̦̯̫̯̥̳̖̳̟̙̬̩͙̦̖̱̮̟̺̘̗͓̺̗̝͙̟̩̟͇͈͈͙̫̼̳̮̥̝̯͍̖͎̙̖͖̥͇͚͎͕̯̟̣̗̜̠̭͓̭̼͔̰̣͉͎̳̳͇̦̹̖͚̼̫̞̘̩̪̟̞̈́̿͐̔͛̔̈̋͗̂̀̿̈̈́̿̌͑̂͊͋͒̓͐̉̑̅͊̋͛̍̒́̈̈́̓̍͗͒͆̓̍̑̀̈́̽̋̽͊̊̃͆̌̎͘̚̕̚̕͜͜͜͝͝͠͠͝ͅ.̷̢̨̢̨̛̛̛̩͚̥͎̞̦͈̭̮͖͚͖̱̞̙̻̲̩̯̪͇̪͈̈͊̔͗̇̾̊͛̃̃͗̽͂̎̽̊͑̏̂̇̂̀̈́̑͋́̊̌͌̌͑̐̈́̊̍̈̂̎̈́͐̽͐̐́̔̇̋̎̿̆̔͛͐̉͐̑̅̅̾̀͌̈́̉͋͌̆͂̽̐̿̑̆͗̋͂̓̈́̋̓̽̏̽͋̾̐̋̀͆̌͋̓̑͗͊̅̓̓̿̄͊̋̂͐̅̋͂̒͊̃̿̈́̓̒͘̚͘̚̕̕͘̚̕̚̚͘͘̕̕̚͘̕̚͠͝͝͝͝͠"**_

Every word was like inky fire. The hands on his held on tighter, as if fearing that he'd disappear if they let go. They pulled him back, inch by inch; slow.

" _ **Ę̵̢̫̳̪̻͈̺̖̦̯̭̙͛̀͌͜V̸̧̧̧̲͓̤̙̳͉̲͙̈́̇͌̉̎̎͐̽́̚͜͝ͅE̵̦̻̣̠̥͙̟̠͙̪̍̿R̴̨̡͉̼͋͋͌͛̽̉̂͠ͅỶ̴̻̐̌̔́̋Ṭ̷̨̛̙̮̮͈̙̜͒̉̾͗̊̽̚͝ͅH̸̨̛͙͍͇̘̯͖̆͋͆̇̐̄͆͂͌̈́̒͜͝ͅI̶̡̢̖̘͓̝͚̞̦̝͉̐̑̓͝N̵̡̛̝̱̳̙͔͈͔̥͎̜̟̟͗͊͒̀̓̑̿̿G̸̨̞̥̔̈́̍͆̍̊̑̂̒͠͝ ̷̨̨̨̙̣̳̱̺̇̓̉̃̈̋̑͘͘A̵̛͍̟̜̘̘̩̱̝̠̅͗̈́̈́̐͋͒͊̉̃̍̇͘͝Ḇ̶̢̢̨͎̩͓͕͉̠̖̺͇͕͚̕͝Ọ̵̙̫͈̦͕͊̓Ù̶̥̭̰̺͙̀͂̑͂̉̏̎͝Ţ̸̤͖̭̮̖̈́̒̀̅͋̉́̋̓͛͘̚͠ͅ ̴̩̩̞̣̯̤̅̍̓́̇͆͒̄͠Ÿ̶̛͕̟̘̻̫̩́͛̿̀̕ͅO̵̺̱̭̯̟̱̺͙̽̾Ų̴̛̛̋͛͋͑́̅͘ ̴̻̣̭̳̤͓̊̉́͜I̴̫̭̻̣̞̟̓̒̿̒̕͝͝S̷̘̖͊̒͆͛̂̋̍̿͑̚ ̴̢̛̗̬̭͖͖̩̥͔̪͎̗͂͋̓̑͘͝S̸͔̟̻̖̮̲̟͈̦̫̜͚̗̱͓͐͗O̷͈͚̙͙͎͑̓̀͐̈̃͜͝ ̷͎̭̳̉̏͑̃̚̚͝T̴̗͉͔͗̊̽̒̏̀̀̉͑͒̿͐͛Ȩ̶̜͚͓̗̝̼̝̟̠̄̈͑̑̿̚̕͜R̸̢̺̜̣̫̭̒̈́̌́̒͊̽̿́̈́͗̇̏͝Ṙ̸̯̫̎̈́́͘I̵͚͈̣̻̪̠̯͉̒̉̾̔̌͊̅̑͜͝ͅB̶͈͋͜L̵̛̛̻͖̂̏̓̆͘͠Ḙ̷̛͖͍̭̠̻̪̱̒̎̅̈́̎̉͊̒͂̓͜.̸̛̩̮̘͖̮̫̫̒̌̓̄̆́̏̅͝͝ͅ"**_

Jeremy couldn't see through the colors anymore. They were overpowering, blocking out his sight. Arms were around his waist tugging. They felt soft, like a knit sweater.

Brooke.

An arm wrapped around his shoulders. Long.

Chloe... Or Jake.

He couldn't tell anymore. The whispers that were probably yelling. The loudest voice clear, ringing through his head. 

"Everything about me is just terrible."

_Where was he._

_Who was touching him._

He held the last bit of hope, the hands covering his ears, and the hand gripping his tightly.

The arms were being forced away. Forms and leaving him cold. Slams echoed through the room, cries of pain following. Bright colors flashed as they called out.

_Who._

_Who._

He didn't know.

" _ **E̸̡̡̡̘̮̝̤͓̖̮̎͒́̈̑͆̀͊͛̕͝ͅV̷͋̂͂̈̈́̍̿̅͗͜E̷̖̠̩̺̺̫̖̤̖̾̊̄͑̓̅̅̓͆͠R̷̡̨̭̙̻̭̠̬̘̊̎͑̈́͊̑̿̉͊͊̊̊̋͝͝ͅỲ̸̛̥͍͙̻̠̟̹̲͕̱̖͚͉͓̊̌̉͛̌̇̉̓̓͝ͅṬ̵͓̤̱͍̂͐͑̐̍̉̆̑H̸͍͎͔̋̽́̌̀̔̐͛̃̈́̇͘͘͝Ĩ̴̢̢̯̰̮̙̦͙͎̳͉̪͊͒̽͘N̸̡̠͇͉̣̤͕̹̲͕̳̜̼̻̞͐̃̓Ġ̴̰̫̹͎̑͒̑̒͐̈́̈̔̎̚ ̷̡̢̝̲̜͉̯̟̫̞͛͂̈́͒̍̄̓̄̇̚A̷̖͍̩̥̟̻͍͐̐́͊͆̑̃̆͘͜͠͝B̶̲͖̻͖̳͓͆̀̾̆̎̂͒̏̑͐O̸̻͓͈̤̰̲̼̳̊͂̿͌͒͠͝U̷̗̩̬̩̝̣̯̺̱̘̥͒͒͐̎̉̐̾̃͗̓͛̕T̶̢̡̛̻͈̬̠̤̯̘̈̀̆͝͠ ̷̧̨̛̳̟̱̗̣̞͚̰̗͉̙͇̅̇̈͌̒͆̔͗̎͜͝͝Ỵ̴̡̜̊̃̊̔͋Ǫ̷̡̰̜͎̺̬̠̯̰͙̌̾̋̌̾̐̐ͅͅȔ̶̢̨̧̝͇̘̜̗̼̙̬̤͎̙̋̐̎͆̃̋̓̔̚̚͝ ̶͇͖̠̞͖̂̂̀̇͑̇̈̌M̸̹̹̖͕̤̯̑̈́̏̽͊̂̊́̒͗̾̎͠Ā̵̧̛̙͕̤͓̟̝̣͌́͜͝K̶̡̧̡̭̜͕̘̦̬͚̬̭̺̭̲̊͒͒̅̑Ẻ̵̱̦̫̂̃S̵̹̦̈́̔̈́͗̄͑̀̕ ̸͍̣̗͕͙̇̎̂͋̓̏̀͝͝M̸̧͎̲͉̞̙̬̼̱͋̍̂̽̀̎̿̚E̴̩͎̤̬̹͕̋̂̎͑̓͘͝ ̶̧̨̯̟̩̘̜̟̬̺̤̯͕̪̾̂͋͜͠W̷̧̮̙͑̿͆͒̄̅͒Á̴̢̙͖̥̺̠̃́̀͐̿̕N̶̢̼̱̜̟͖̣̦͕͍̰̜͗́͊͛̾ͅN̸͚̜̟̠̰̙͕̙͇͍̗̠̲͊̇͌͐͋̋͆̊͒̄̚͜͝Ä̴̗̗͔̟̠̳̠͍́̅͊̾͜͝ ̵̨̡̳̙̱̗̞̮̭̤͖̝̣͈̋̆͗͊͑̀̄͊D̸̘͍̫̫̣̀͑̕Į̸̛̗̳̰̞̤͙͕͓̬̈́̈́̓͛̋̀͌̈́̏̚͜͜͜ͅḘ̴̢̉͒͋͆̈́.̵̧̭̙̟̿̂͂͛̌̿̽̑̾̽̇͑͌͝͝"**_

_Die. Why. Why should he die. Was he that terrible._

The cracks of glass and calls of pain hurt him. Liquid, thick and slick, dripping onto his face. The only hand left was the hand that refuses to let go. The one holding his. He gripped it for dear life.

Inky hands rested on his face. They felt...

_**Manipulative. Hurtful. Untrustworthy. Evil. Let go.** _

_**Let go. Let go. Let go.** _

" _Let go of him!" Red. Yellow. Orange._ Like fire. Blazing and warm -like the hand holding his.

A chuckle, horrid and deep. The only thing he could hear now.

_**"Ḭ̷̧̧̡̛̫̮̦͉̣͎̝̞̯̪̲̺̬̜̩͖͎̞͔̣͈̫̗̣̫̬͈̻̩̗̦̘̱̗̦̗̺̺̼͈̗̝͙̺̳͙͓͓̈́̂̌̿̆͑̒̈̆̈̓̂̅͊́̽̎̏̅̈́͊͌͑̋͛͒͛́̇̔̏̇̔̊̕͠͝͠͝ͅͅŢ̵̡̪̩̲̖̤̱̰͔͍̻̭̟̱͔̬̞͙͍͙̬̝̭͖͇͈̗͖̦̱̹̯̼͚̹̝̫̦̙̦̫͚̞̫̣̯͎̜͎̪̈́͐̍́̋̅̃̑͊͜͝S̶̡̨̧̧̢̛̛̹̬͓͍̖̯̗̻͚͙͈͚̫̳̱̟͎̭̬̟͗̄̔͂̐̈́̏̾̽̑̉̐̔͆̈́̔̍̈̽̈́͑̂̆̈̉̆̒̔̐̔̆̊̔̐̓͑̈̆̕̕̚̚̚̕͝͝ͅ ̷̰͍̩T̸̨̧̢̨̢̥̭̯͔͙̗̳̦̰̞̭̘͕̞͔͉̰̥̻̻͈̬̪̙̝̮͔͖̪̤̣̝̫̬͚̩͚͇͍̿͛͋͆́̎̋͊̋́̈́̅̋̇̇́̏͌̒̍̓̿̀͛͊͂̄̉̈́̄͒̿̆̈́͋̋̌̍̃͑̀̈̂̕̕͠͠͝͝ͅĮ̶̧̨̨̢̛͓̙͉̦̞̟̖̹̪̠͔̲͓̲͍͖̭̘̳͕̤̣̦̳̬̞̦̟̰̞̟̳͉̖̪̖̜̑͒̈̍͌͌͛̄̌́̋̆̍͑̒͛͒̿͂͐͘͘͝͝͠͝͝M̶̡͚͎͍͙̯̙̙̲͍̬͚͔͎̭̤͉̲̜͎̾͆̏̇̓̃̈́̒̑͛̄̈̍͆͑̃̍̄͛͑̂̎̏́̈́̈́̈̽̓̚̕̕̚͜͜͝͝͝E̸̢̨̢̡̛̗̹̫̬̝͉̬͍̱͓̫̳̫̣͍͎̼͕̖̟̤͚̞̯͔̬̺̹̜̞͚̰̰͍͎͎͐̿̓͋͌͗̓͊͋͊̀͗̚̕͜͠ ̷̨̛̘̺͙͈̥̲͓̜̪͔̣͚͍͎͔̍́̌͗̅̑̍́̓̐̽̊͐́̈͐̿̄̈́̄͂̄̔̍̓̔͗̉̓̆̐̈́̏̅͘̕͜͠F̷̧̡̨̡̡̛̛͙͍̫̗̘̘̜̦̩̖̠͕̹̼̮̩͈̹͍̣͕̯͖̗̭̘̖̦̘̲̥̙͓͕̟̺̳̯̮͓͇̻͚̝͎͐̐̈͛̇̆̈́̃̍͊̑͆̓̽̎̊̓̑̃͗̉̎̒͆̈́̽̔̈̇̇͐́̔̍̚̚̚͘̕͜͠͝͠ͅŎ̶̧̨̧̨̙̺̩̝̟̜͚̝̱͈̬̖̺͉͕͓̬̪̥̣̠͈̼͔̥̭̣̹̟̰̙͖̬̺̝͔̪̩̻̗̳̖̤͙͎̺͚̌̆̔͛̔̑͛ͅŖ̵̢̳̦̤̤̳̥̰͕̳̪̞̮͈̗̟̗̹͕̬̱͎̬̱͎̳̭̻̲̣̹̲̤͚͚̳̈́̔͒͑̅̒̿̈́̃̔̏̇̓̉̄͌̆̍́̑̍̋̒͜͜͠͝ ̴̡̡̨̨̛̛̦͓̙̬͚̩̯͈͇̯̘̼̹̼̘̘̬͕͇̩̯̩̠͕͓̼̠̮͎͈̝̰̬̱̦̩̳̭̯̠͖͖̖̼̭̜͇̱̿͊̔͒͌̅̉͂͋͌̍̌̂̾̿͗̃̌̓̂͌͋̑̈̉̊̈́̾͋͒̈́͊͜͜͜͝͠Y̴̧̢̡̧̛̘͓̬̻̻͔͍̻̘̹̦̦̩͕̣͍̣̭͖̙̱̩̖̼̹̰̙̟̹̔̓̍͗̂͂̀̈́̓̎͂̏͋̿̄̋͒͛̽͛̇͗̀̂̽̋̐̀̽̑͊͗̉̈́́̅̀̈́̈́̔̐̈́́̄̃̏̉̽̆̈́̕̚͘͘͠͝O̴̡̡̝̼̥͓͔̲̊͜Ů̶̧̢͚̯̩̻͈̣͖͕̭͓̙̪̠̰̩͋̈́̉͒̋́̾̏̆̿ ̵̢̡̡̥̪͙̜̖̘̹̦̦̙̪͓̳͚̥͉̪̮͇̱͖̓̒͑̅̌̒̂̏͂̈́͗͑̾̏̏̈̅͑̾̉̑͑̈́̏̍͠͝͝Ţ̷̢̢̧̛̛̬͖̟͕̫̤͕̬̙̺͔̲̫̱̞̯̟͔̺̥̳̙̩̪̈̊̂̒̈́̅̋͐͌̏̅̈͝͝Ơ̸̧̡̘̟̥͇͓̬̖̙̺͓̞̭̳͉̫̯͇̼̯̓̌̈̇͆̿̑̇̅͑̒̇̈̽̽̍̋̓̍̊̈́̿̉̈́̈́͆͋̌̅̿̽̚̕̚̚̚̚͝͠ ̶̢̡͙̻̻̼͚̥̙̝̪͙̟̣̠̖̝̻̺̺̥̳̠̩̫͙̫̫̬̞͖̹͕̑͗͒̔̂̅̉͑̍̓͆̓̓̈́̎͒̽̑͗͐̽̎̑͘̚͜͜͜͝ͅẈ̶͆͋́͋͂̅̄͋̊̄Ǎ̵̡̨̨̛̛͈̻͈͉̦͖̱̹͎̲̩̗̦̻͇͕̘̝͖̮͈̗̤͙̜̭̭̩̬͚̠͈̠̝͙̙̺̰̔̏̽̈́̓̊͆̏̑͜͜͝ͅͅͅĶ̴̧̢̧̧̛̯͉̼̰̟̬̺͈͍̖̜̺̗̮̠̼͇̺͖̙̣͓̹̺̗̣̲̖̈́͌̇̾͆̑̆̓̃̍̆̋͆̏͂̽̌̄̈́̈́̎̈́̒̃̿̍͆̈́̒̍͗̏̈͌͑͆͆̕͘̕̕͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅE̸̱̟̫̳̿͒̍̈͊́͐͒̏̑͛͆̽̌̾̾̒̓͛͗͋̓̕̕͝ ̵̗̖̯̤̹͖̣̲̱͖͈̲͈̞̮̩̺̩̣̯͖̩̫̗̱͉̞̮̿̈́̀͑͊̈́̌̇̿̊̿̽͊̈́͑̃͌̀̾͐̑̽͒̍͐͌̿̆͛̈̀̊̓̅̍͊͂̌̒̋̎͛̐̕̚͜͝ͅU̴̢̡͉̰͙̪̤̻͚̞̼̘̲̠̻̜̬̳̩̝̜͑̒͒ͅͅP̵̡̡̨̨̧̝̠̲͚͍̗̝̗͓̬͕͈͈͍̘̻͉̖̖̲̭̣̰͈̻̯͖͉̹̘̹͖̘̜͈̪̮̆̽̋͌͒̂̽̑̊͂̿́̾̄̍̔̏̃͂͑̓̽̚̕͝͝ͅ,̷̨̨̧̧̛̼͚̖̳̫͙̜͓̻͚̪̙͓̺͌̊̌̆̍̍̂̏̔̂̿̾͑̏̅͋͊̌̃̅̾͗̄͊̂̒͊͌̑͊̊̏͆̾̿͛̚͘̚̕̕̕̚͜͝͝͝͝ ̵̨̛̛͓͓̬̮̝̥̻͍͔̗̉̽͒̔̉͒̈̔͗̈́̒͛̾̋̉͗̃̈́̂̓̅̐͆̈́͛̉͊̿̍̂͗͝͝͝R̴̡̢̡̮̞͚͇̜̝̳̪̜̰̥͕͓̤̤͙̗̩͉̙͇͍̙̘̫̭̻͔̱͔͕̥͈͓̰̞͚̤̫̗͖̞̲̼̬͙̬̪̳͙͓͖̰̰͗̊̓͒͑̅̑͑̀̍͆̍̏́̉̆̒̔̅̀̃̇͝͠͝͝I̷̡̨̢̢̨̢͕̳̦̞͙̘̺͇͖̪͙̹͚͈͕͚̘̲̬̭̝͍͎͈̙̭̳̒̍̿͋̔̇̔̈́̿̑̐̇͌͆̓͒̂̎̄͊͌͋͂͊͂͆̽̚̕̚̚͘͘̚͝͠͝ͅC̵̡̡̨̨̧̛̛͍̺̻̝̺̻̖̩̳̞͚͓͓͇̠̟̞̮͚̺̞̱̼͖̭̙̰̘̻̼̳̭͍̝̮̮̣̼̳̤̭͗̏̓̇̊̄̂͌͗̀̍̏͆͒̽̈́͊̓̃̕͜͜͜͜ͅḨ̸̨̨̖̠̺͇̫̬͔̼̝̮̙̮̥̹͕͇̜̲͖̹̇̐̔̀͗̒͒͋̍̄̊͆͛͋̍̓͊͛̒̓̇̆̈́̃̚͜͜͝A̵̢̛͓̰̥͓̖̼̼̝̭̺̪̳̮͙̣̰͙̲͊͛̈́͒̋͛̍̅̎̋̄͌̍̿̓̊ͅṚ̷̢̢̧̛̛̛̗̘̰̰̟̝̥̮͈̪̹̻̜̘̲̟͎̟̥̻͍̟͎̤̭̣̣̟̥̟͙̼̬̺̙̳͙̲͖͙̻̫͈̜̝̦̰̩̽̋͗̽͛͂̆̎͑̑̽͐̀̈̄͐͗̃̑͐͌̅̎͑͛̓͑͌̊̒͋̈́̌̓̈́̏͛̌̉̔̅͂̋͛̐͌̍͋̉͘͘͜͜͜͝D̶̢̨̡̡̧̢̤͕̝̪̻̪̩̙͎̘͙̦͉̼͇̹̲̣̙̗̦͉̦͕̲̬̭̯͗̆̑̽̿̀̽̍̈́͋͗̋̆̈̋̈́͆̄̾͋͆̇̆͂̑͒͛̒̎͐̈̃́̕͘̚͘͜͜͠͝͝ͅ.̴̢̞̤͎̝͉͎͉̹̩͍̼̯͚̭̗̖̱̬͙̣̦̦͕̣̦͈̣͕̘̠̫̼̳̎̐͌̿͋̀̑̋̊͌̂̉̒̄̒͊̍̃͗̈́̐̃̇̓͘̚͠"** _

Screaming and glitching. Jeremy could only hear the SQUIP. The warm hands were all gone. He wanted the back. 

_**"Ỷ̶̡̛̛̛̥̝̫̥͆Ö̵̻̠́̎̿́́̚͠U̷̧͕̗̦͓̤͌́ ̷̛̟͉͔͙͔̭̎̕͝Ȁ̸̻̦͈͓̖̮̏͆̔̉͆͋̾͜R̸̼̞̆̒͊È̶̡̧͎̗̣̥̬̺͝ ̵̡̛̰͚̘͙̝͇̣̹̓̈͒̽̈́̿̿̄̿̑̕M̷̱̗̄̎̓͑̌̚I̴̫̘̮̗͇̯͚̤̤͚̍̿͝Ṋ̷̡̡̡̼̦͔̞͍̲̣͌ͅȨ̸̫͍̼̣̪̻͍̬͐̋̈̈́̋̂͑̏͛̕ ̷̬͔̌Ņ̵̛͇̻̙̲̣̻̺͖̙̏̎̎͐̕͜ͅO̶̬̤͍̜̺̬͍̠̬̝͗̽̓͗̅͋̔̏W̴̪̊̂͐͛̾̾̕.̸̝͔̫̜͓̇̽͝ ̵̧̨̨̗͉̯̮̲̠̀̓̀̎̑̓̈́̈́͝T̵̼͓̏̓͂̃͠H̸̢͉̻̬̜̱͔̭͕̣̖͙͗̆̏̄́́̐̾̃̄͘̚ͅĚ̵͙͈̙͍̟̫͐͗̌̋̏̿̏͑̆͝ͅR̵̗͚͖̣̺̥̠̙͇̞̹̎Ĕ̸̢̮̘̬̭̪̤̭͈͉̔̄̔͂̽̌͝ ̸̡̲̬̣̣̖̭͖̬͉̫̟̹̓̐̕͘Ḭ̶͋̚S̴̛̹̤̠͈͐͐̇̈́̈̌̾͒̉̔͝ ̶̝̞̲̮̦̊̊̃̐̏͘͝N̵̨̢̲̦̬̳̖̯̜̟͉̍̒̀̉̿̂̒͜O̵̡̙̔͂̅͐̈́͝ ̸̯̲̺̻̗̜͔͇̱̭̃̅ͅO̶̧̪̲̭͙͕͔̩̥̤̩̮̓̄̈́̚͜N̶̞̻̠̽̓͒̈E̵͎̗̱̰̖̗̳͓̮̯̙̫̝̓̋̽̽̅͒͌͌ ̴̛̦̥̦̭̲̒͆̎̇͋̆̅̊̈́̀̚ͅL̴̡̼̒͆̽̀̿̄̂̓̏ͅÉ̵̢̛͓͐̈͌̄̓̒͌͌͑F̶͖̜̘͚̬̜̠̞̯̠̺͙͚͊͛́̽̅̍̀͛̎T̵͙̣͇̪̱̋̆̿ ̶̨̢̧̲͓͇̣̙̰̖͓̓̾̉͂̔̀̽͂̚ͅŢ̷̗̪͈͔̆͜Ȏ̴̢͓̩̹̯̳̦̘͉̪̎̇̅͋̐̒̌̃̍̐ ̷̨̨͎͈̫̮̯͍͎̭̮̑̽̅̈́L̴͙̘̭̳͙͚̻͎̞̦͚̭͒͂Ọ̶̧̯̫̫͍̖̪̖̮̻͒V̸̢͚͔͎̘̮̦̫̠̗̋̉͌̓͊̒͗͗͂̀͘̕͘͜E̶̳̪̺͒͛̐͌̌̎̕ ̴̬̯͔̣͍͓̮͖̯̩̭͗͒̒͌Y̷̨̗̲̺̫̫͕͈̝͇͓͂͜ͅO̷̢͍͙̭̦̩͙̖͕̹̹̍Ȕ̷̬̻̪͙̮̙͓͒̎̉̓̑̌̚͘̚.̷̡̨̫̘̪̫͓͙̮̰̩̠̽̒̃̊̓̅̂̈̚͠ͅ."** _

And then.

Jeremy Here was left to the flood of ink.

The flood of

**Black**

**White**

**Turquoise.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahahhaah.  
> Am I a horrible person yet.


	6. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Jeremy Heere forgive me

Rich snapped upright, causing sheer pain to shoot up his nerves. Tight bandages wrapped from his neck to his legs. Dull walls and bright lights, Uncomfortable mattress...

Fuck, he was in a hospital.

He _can't_ be here. He has to get _back_.

A warm hand pushed him back down, forcefully. Rich squirmed, trying to get up.

"Get off me! I have to get _back_! They're in trouble! No- let _go_!"

"Woah- hey- Rich! Calm down!" 

Rich stole a glance up; red hoodie decorated in patches, headphones hung around his neck. His skin was dark, glasses loose on the bridge of his nose. His nails were painted red.

Rich stared at him, his eyes became pleading, "No! You don't understand. You- antisocial headphones kid- _Michael_! He- they- we need you! Please- I have to get _back_ \- He'll _die_!"

"Dude, slow down- You had a nightmare-"

"A nightmare that lasted for the past two and a half years of my damn life!"

"What-"

"Shut up! I have to go back!"

"Back where!?"

"Back to them! That fucking- stupid piece of shit microchip!"

"Microchip?"

"SQUIP!"

Michael's mouth snapped shut, an inhale through his nose sounding sharp, making Rich flinch and take a shaky breath.

"They're- They are... trapped in there. It's my fault. And I have to get them out. I can't leave them there and replay that image of him in my head!" He cried out.

Reluctantly, Michael spoke, "Him? Who... Who is him?"

"Jeremy!"

"But, Jeremy is-"

"No he isn't!"

"What do you mean."

"It's not him!"

"Then where is he!?"

"Dead! If we don't hurry!"

"And why am I supposed to believe you?"

"This is no time to be snide!"

"You don't know anything about him! You're tricking me! This is so elab-"

" _Micah_!"

The boy in red seemed to sit like he was in a death trap. He was stiff as a whistle.

"How-"

"Micah's voice is red and gold."

"But-"

"He- They all need us back there! Please. Help me."

"Can you at least explain to me what's going on!?"

Rich sucked in air, desperately looking at Michael.

_Did he have time. Did he. Did he._

Rich sighed, talking about seeing Jeremy and talking with him, Jenna and Brooke and Chloe, then, he paused, close to tears, and explained.

-

 

_"Run. Hide. Please." Jeremy's eyes were pinned by fear._

_Rich backed up, hearding everyone behind him._

_Chole almost yelled before Rich turned to her and her angry, fustrated greens met his tired, worried, and fearful blues._

_Everything  fell sillent -even the static hum of the monitors-  until a loud, booming voice shook the room:_

_" **JEREMY HEERE."**_

_Roch stiffened, backing them into the dark corner of the room. Jake had joined them, confused. He immediately shut up when he saw the SQUIP. He hoped they'd stay quiet. He hoped nothing horrible would happen._

_He was_ wrong.

 _He was so, so, so_ wrong _._

_The SQUIP began to speak, voice cool and deep. It was smooth, circling Jeremy like a fox with a rabbit. It talked about a proposition, how it could fix Jeremy._

_Jeremy_ didn't _need to be_ fixed _._

_" **ENOUGH WITH THE COLORS, JEREMY."**_

_Jeremy's Synesthesia must be acting up. Rich wanted to go over to him, comfort him, hold his hand. But he couldn't. He'd blow they're cover._

_Christine had joined them, admits the group. They felt whole, yet a little empty._

_Rich began to relax, until..._

_" **EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU IS SO TERRIBLE."**_

No.

Not to him.

_Rich heard the slight mutter of Jeremy repeating it, like a mantra._

_He heard Jenna's gasp and Jake's protective growl (an actual growl!), Chloe's rampant rage basically blew steam from her ears, Mr.Reyes looked like he'd throw hands, and Christine and Brooke had switched on Mama Bear mode._

_Rich couldn't take it. Jeremy kept repeating that stupid mantra. He stood, swiftly making his way over, despite the protests of his friends and the adult._

_"HEY. FUCKER."_

_The SQUIP tilted -more like glitches it into place- its head._

_" **RICHARD GORANSKI**." _

_A chill stemmed throughout his body, but he strode forward, gripping Jeremy's hand. The other came forward as well._

_Jake wrapped his arms around Jeremy's shoulders; Chloe around his waist. Brooke linked her arm with Jeremy's; Jenna touched his shoulder. Christine had a hand in his hair and Mr.Reyes held his other shoulder._

_The SQUIP let out an eery chuckle,it circled them like a_ predator _, stiff and calculating. It opened its mouth, which held a grotesque smile._

_Its next words sickened him, but the came out, echoing painfully:_

_**"Y̵O̸U̸ ̶M̴A̶D̷E̸ ̵F̶R̴I̷E̷N̸D̸S̸.̸ ̵C̵H̴A̸R̷M̷I̷N̷G̸.̶ ̷M̴Y̴ ̷W̶O̷R̸K̷ ̶P̴A̸I̷D̷ ̸O̵F̵F̴.̵ ̴D̶I̷D̶N̴T̵ ̶I̷T̴,̴ ̷J̵E̴R̸E̴M̴Y̵?̸"** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahahahah
> 
>  
> 
> wait till the reprise.


	7. Interlude (Reprise)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me.

_It circled them all, now. It began to cackle, painfully loud. Jeremy shook his head, his breathing tight, eye shut. Blips if black liquid hit the floors, spilling and swarming. Ink._

_It splashed about, echoing. They tightened thier grip, fearful. They wont loose anyone today. Its grin seemed stretch off of its face; features becoming more and more animalistic._

_**"Ḑ̵̧̢̡͙͉͚͈̣̼̫̭̠̺̭͇̗̭̹̲̩̖̰̳̫̠͓̺̱̺̻̭̰͔̟̲̗̓̔̄̉͆͐͒̆̿͒̌͛̾̉̆͒̊̃̍͜͝ͅǪ̶̥̝͕̺͉̲͇̜͖͍̭̺͙͋͑͐͌̇̈̈́̈͐̑̽̿̎̓̈͑̃̑̈́̓̌̌̑̚͝͠͠ͅ ̷̢̨̡̨̫̗̻̹͙̺̙̞̘̦̺͈̻̠͈̻̘̪̪̮̘̣̺̜̰͕͖͇̦̥̖̥̫̝̻͈̙̥̣̗͓̫͈͕̇̾͜͜͜͝ͅͅŅ̷͋̉̅̄͑̓̓͂͆̿̑̾̅̉͌̔̆̇̿̀̄͊̊͋̈̓̓̕͘͠Ơ̸̡̨̧̨̨̛̛̮̫̗̻͈̗̳̦̦̜͖̝͓̰̩͈̥̦̤̫̠̞͕̦̻̫͍̥̦͇̙̥̤̻̣̦̩̠͎͚̬̳̈́̌̒̑̏̐͑̿̔̈̈́̍͌̊̇̿̈͒̈́̓͊̈͘͘͠Ț̷̡̧̨̟̮̙̣̟̺͚͎̻̫̰̤͔̼̙̳͔͈͉̪̤̺̲̰̙̺͎̦̲̬̪̭̤̳̰͈͔͓̙͔̮̠̞̲̘̪̤̾̓͝ͅ ̸̢̨̨̢̟̥̼͈͕͇̤̮͇͓̼̬̰̤̻̹̖̜̼̥̖̖̠̹̙̠̻͔̞̻̱͓̯̟̪͕̘͓̬͂̃͛̍̀̋͆͊́́͑͋̈̈́͘͝ͅͅS̶̨̡̨̢̡̨͙̞̹̼̖̞̗̮̹̥̭̜̼͍̳͈̘̪̪͇̙̟̹͔͖̖͎͍̰̥̤̭͈̩̮͚̗̓̑̃͐̆̉̄̀̏̔͂͂͊͐̍̌̾͂̿̎̈́͆̒̎̒̓̀̌̚̕̕͘͝ͅÄ̷̢̛͉͍̣̗̜͖̤͍̖̞̘͓̼̇̎̄̈́̽̆̒̔͌̓͛͗͒͛̃̔̃͊͗̀̈́͊̿̂͗̒̎̎̀̍̍̒̄̆͆͘̚͝͠͠͝Y̷̢̢̢͚̹̜̱̪͖͖̦̪̩̝̰͉̭̖͈̪̩̝̥̰̠̻͈͍̠̯̗͕͉̲̰̼̝̟͈̲̳̲͖̳̔̿̓͛̓̏̚͜͜͜ͅ ̶̢̧̨̢̧̱̯̭̮͇̥͓̫̳̼̗̼̗̙̥̜̰̺̏͗͑̀̈́̾̐̉̀̿̉͐̓̃͊͆̆̕̕̚̚͜͝͝N̸̡̨̡̳͖̦͚̰͙͎͇̠͓̥̖̝̝͇̪̺̗͓̱̱͎̙̞͔͍͎̳͚̥̮͉̩̙͖̗͙̣͎͙̥͖̟̭̦͙͎̊̈͌̾͛̒̏̈́̈́͗̔͂͌͋̾̆̌̈̋̑̔́͘̚̕͘͝ͅͅǪ̷̡̨̦̬̰̲̼̜͙͍̩̩̯̖͖̝̣͈͍͙͖̞̬̤̳̪͌̈́̊͒̋̽͛̂͘͜͜͜ ̷̧̥͙̜̰̪͖̟͚̮͙͎̲̻͍̼̎T̸̢̡̢̲̯̣̞̝̫̫̟͉̳̱̥͍͇̙̘͇̺̠̖̠̖͔̖̺̹̺̠͚̪̬͇̟̬̜̝͖͈͔̣͔̪̥͎̈́͑́̔̔͑͋͝ͅͅͅƠ̶̢̛̛̗͈̣͎͎͔̭̩̘̞̭̱̰̠̥̰̼͚̖̳͓̰͖͈̦̜͕̰̜̻̗̠̰̣̰̈͗̂̿̉͊̆̾̓̿̌͗̂͜͜͝͠ ̵̡̢̡̧̛̜̭̰̻̝͖̪̖̰̼̦̗̜̟̹̟̞͖͙̦̈́͌̆̀̑͐̊̓̓̑̿͗̚͘̕̚͘͝M̶̡̨̨̳͈͕͎̠̦͔͙̜͇̳̮͍̼̝͚̳͔̘̦̱͍̳̪̙̬̩̮͇̗̭̩̮̩̩̭͈̑̓̅̾̂͂̆̇̅̿͂͊̈́͒̀̌͗̍̃͌͗̔̈̂͒͋̒̈̑̅̚͘̕̕͘̕̕Ę̴̡̨̮̮̜̺̪̭͉̫̱͓̺͍͓͕͙͉͖̭̭̘̣̪͚̫̳̳̽͌͗̊̍̔̂̅̃̒͆̇̍̉̏͐̉̓̂̓̏̿̂͑̋́̌̀̕̚̚͜͠͠͝.̵̧̞̬̟̪̗̳͖̬̥̼̹̬̱̪̰̩͇̻̰̲̦͕͚̖͐̐͌̽̆͊̊̎̀̅͑̽̂̈́̓͒̿̊̇̕͘͝͝ ̵̧̥͓̝͕̬̙̖̦̪̖̪͙͓͙̍̇͒̊̿̂̎͒̓̈́̒̈́͒̎͗̌̚͘͘͠͝͝J̷̡̡̧̨̛̩͈̪͉̣̰͉̬̝͓̼̠̲͙̩̍̋͆̀̅̀̄̾͊̊͑̓̅̌́̓̅̐̒̌͌̑͑̐͆̃̋̈́͌̚̚͠͝͝Ê̶̢̡̢̡̨̨̨̡̢̛̗͍̘̜͖̫̲̩͓̝̙̞͙̺̩̖̟̗̩̣̜̬͕̤͉̜̻̤̞̻̫͐̃͊̀͆͛͊̆̒̊̆͛͛͒̔̔̐̏̒͜͜͠R̷̡̨̲͕̜̻̬͍̭̠͈͙͉̦̦̭͈̗̥͍̟̹̰̫͓̮͎̤̱̺͑̐͌̉̌̋̇͐͊̉͋̆̍͛͛̈͛̀̉̕͘̕͘͜͝͠͝ͅȨ̸̛͖̯͈̬͔̣̯̖̟̈́̋́̇͛̊̿̒̋͐̀̂̓́̔͠͝Ḿ̸̧̨̨̢̡̢̡̨̻̯̹͚̤̫̰̘̦̮̣̲̺̹̘̣̰̭̬̦̼̥̬̹͙̙̣̙̗̣͚̮̤͗͐̐̈́̃̎̉̐͒͂͛̅̃̔̀̚͜ͅͅÝ̸̢̧̡̡̭̤̲̥̜̖̯̮͖̗͎̰̠̘̱̞̻̯̖̘̙͐̌̓̀̑̉̑͗̃̈́̒̿̒͗̓̈́̊͗͊́͜͝͝͠͝ͅ.̷̢̢̡̨̧̧̢̬͙̤͉̳̱͚̖̺̭̦̰̬̩̤͖̼̼̣̘͙͚̭̻̖͕̭͚̩̦̗͔̝̥͖͕̃͋͊̆̈́̍̊̓̽̓͝͝ ̸̡̢̛̛͕͙͚̘̯̣͖̯̳̖̞͇̙̯̮̖̗̝̀̔͛̂̃̀̇̒̓̓̇̈́͒͆̀͆̐͗̐͛̂̇́̓̉̈̄̕̚̕̚͝͝͝͠Y̵̡̧̢̯̝͈͕͖͔͈̥̼̭͉̪͎̖̜̤̝̖̖̣̝͉͕͍̝̰̜̩̙̯͎͙̞̠̣͓̝͙͚̙͕̙̯̥̊̈́͐͊͗͗͑̅̃͒̑͑̀͒̓̃̿̈́̋͑̈́̇̉̅̃̔̐̒̓̈́̈̃̈̃̕̚̚͝͝͝Ǫ̶̛̪̠͎̥̮͑͌͊̇́́̈́̇̾̃̍̆̉̅̇̕͜͠U̶̡̮͉̟͈͕̖͓̞̳͓̺̣̹͔̍͒͂̈̎͒͝ͅ ̷̧̨̢̛͉̺̲͖̥̙͔͎͇̘̯̝̺͍̎͐̃̌̇̀̐̿̆̈̒̊̽͌͗̎̃̎͛̅̓̽̽̂̽̓̈́͂̋̅͋̆͘̚͘̕̕̚͜͠͠Ç̶̢̨̨̭͈̞̠̦̬͙͙̹̗̘̟̜͎͈̱͉̫̭̰̙̘̆͂̆̋̏̊͆À̷̼̜̠͈͓̞̝̦͆̑̂́̈́̈́͒͂͒͜͝ͅŅ̶̢̢̨͎͖̳͇̩̦̜͇̗̯̮͈̼̟͉̙̗͎͓̲̯̩̥̠̪͇̰̲̺̦̤̟̹̣̝̰̯͎̫̲͂̾͒̊̿́̏̒͗̎̐ ̵̨̨̡̛̪̭̙̺̼̟̲̜͈̻̭̩̥̭̜̳͈̻̙͕̮̼̺̙̮̲̗̫̫͔̳̖̠̟̬̘̠̟̯̜̤̹̻̤̺͈̞̂͂͛̽͂̈̆͒̑͆͆̄̃̏̾̔͗̅̇̈̃̕͜͜͝͝N̴̨̢̡̧̨̨̢̩̳̗̤̹̩̯͔͕̟̲̙̖͖͍͖̜̝̼̼͇͕̝̖̹͕͈͎͙͎̮̾͛̑͂̒̒̓͋̈̃̂̓̑͌͌̆̽͛͆͋̒͋̂̓̌͋͑̋̈́̐̂́̎̌̉̾̄̉͠͠͝ͅḚ̷̢̨̡̧̡̧̨̨̨̛̱̗̻̣̘͚͍̗͖̤̪̤̤̗͖̼͙̞̞͊͂̊̈́͒̆͒̔͐̽̾͒́̈́̓̓̓̑̏̒͗̋̉̒̑͆͐́̉̍͑̽̈́̄̈́̀̉̐̕̚͘̕̚͜͝͝͝͝ͅV̷̺̪̗̣̰̝̭͉͓̖̪̮̪̰͎̠̾̅̅͒̏̍̍̂̐̈́̒͑͑̏͂̾̏̔̐̍̿̔͊͊͊̌͛̽͆̌͒̚̚̕̚͘͝͠ͅE̵̛͉͎͙͍̻͚̣̣̭̰̖̜̮̘̓̾̄̌̒̂́̅̓̎͛̈͂̾̈́̾͜͠͝ͅR̷̨̧̠̲̣̘̺̣̝̭̘͓͈̙̯̠͉̙͓̗͓̠̘͓̜͇̹̥̲͖̪͙̠̟̥͎͍͕̯͇̳͙̬̞̭̤̈̋͋̍̈́̃̍̂̓̄̒͆̋̍͆͆͛̀̈́̏̓́̓͗͂̆͛̆͋̂̾̎́͛̈́͘̕͜͝͠͝͝͝ ̸̨̧̖̞̳͖̹̗͈̫̩͔̼̩̜̠̲̤̙͖̻͍̤̱͎̘͓̪̩͉̳̮̻͎̤̣̈́̿̒̏̓͛̈́̈̀̄̅͜͜͝ͅͅS̷̡̡̡̨̨̧̨̡̛̟̦̼̮͕͈̖̬̺͕͖̩̠̭͇̺̝̠̩͕̬̲͈̟̞̪̺͖̝̥͇̘̳͔͇͔̅̈́̓̈́̍̔͋̈́̋̄̈́̔͑͊̚͜͝ͅͅA̶̢͎̼̯̣̙̱̙͇̲͎͇̼̘͚̫͈̫̺͔̗̮̙͎̞̙̠̪̠̘̠͇͙͚̗̿̌̐͌̅̆̒̕͠Y̵̧̧̨̨̛̤̯̦̟̫̤̟̩͉̬̥̣͙̦̝͖̪̜͇̥̫̬̲̱͚̪̺̖̦̻̹̺̠̫͗̋̂͛̌͜͝ͅ ̴̧̡̡̨̱̘̻͕̗͇̼͙̖̥̞͖̹͎̫̦̙͍̫̟̘̖͕̯̙̻͎̮͉̗͚̬͈̠͓͉̤͖̪͚̍̌̋̈́̾͗͒̿̓́̑̈́̃͂̂̑̉̽̊̑̀͘̚͘̕̕͘͘͜͝͝͠͝͝Ņ̸̛͔̖͎͙̖͖̼̣̽͐̂̽́̈́̋͗́́͒͂̽̔̄̑̂̊̐͛͂̎̌̑̇̋͑̆̈́͊̊̈́̓̕̕̚͘͠͝͝͠Ơ̴̧̢̦͎̻̰̹͕̬̖̦͕̮̗̺̫̻̗͕̙̮͚͓͎̦͚̞͕͔̥͆̀̆̇̐̈́̀͗͆̉́̿͆̎̎̎̃̍̋̽͛̇́̾͆̑̉̄͛̌̃̃̇̈͂̚̕̕̚͝͠͝͝.̵̢̛̲̹̫͎̦̟̪̣̦̮̘̫̣̠͉̾̍͗͛͐͋͐͒̌̈͒͛̄͝"** _

_"He can so no all he wants, you glitchy ass bitch!" That was Jenna. She wasn't about to let go._

_The SQUIP cackled, a retched sound like claws on a chalkboard._

_Christine was whispering in Jeremy's ears and Brooke was humming a song. Jake was murmuring something, maybe a joke, and smiling. They were hoping for a reaction they would never get._

_Jeremy wouldn't look at them. He was still. His eyes became unfocused._

_The SQUIP had its inky hand on Jeremy's chest, but Rich kicked at it, shouting, "Don't touch him!"_

_The glitching form chuckled like this was the funniest joke it ever heard._

_**"Y̶̨̖̞͈̩̎͒̚͘O̷͍̭̥̻̻̱̓̄̈́̌̚Ù̵͔̀͝ ̷̘̱͈̤̲̫͗C̸̥̤͓̞̮̱͊͜R̸̨̢̧͎͇̯̾̒͆̂̚ͅE̶̝̜͛̕A̸̳͋̃̅̓̇̍T̶̨̨̺͖͔͙̯̾̂̾̆̚Ȅ̸̢̛̳̱͛͑D̵̡̛͈̻̈̊͗͜͝ ̴̛̦̇̓͝M̸̩̥̿ͅE̶͚̳̝͎͚̗̯̓̈́̍̆̅̾.̶̨̜͖̙͔̅̏̌ ̴̡̟͖͍̽̎̓Ÿ̴̨͓̭̳͓͍́̈͌͐͐̓̕͜Ơ̷̤͙̬̺̼̙̙̋̍̐̐̍̚Ụ̶͔̖̯̫͖̐̌͆̒ ̶̧̢͔̮̹̓̒T̷̡͙̹̼̃͐̈́̓͝Ỏ̷̥̤̻̒̃O̷̲̜̞͈͈̐̄̈́̏̍͘̕K̶͙̩͊ͅ ̵̢͓̫͑̽̑̒M̵͔̒̐̀̓̄̇Ĕ̷̗̜̼̦̖̃͛ ̸͔̂̓̑̇̔́͐W̸̜̊̐̈́̑͝Í̴̛̺̋͑̏̽͘Ľ̷̯͍͕͈̇͗͝L̴̲͕̠̻͇͂̎͛͠͝͠Ĭ̶̢̀̈́ͅN̷͍̦̰̹̤͚̺͐̅͠G̸̛̟̼̣͚͚̈̇̍͊̓͝L̵̹͓͉͖̹̙̳͐̃́Y̴̞̩͖̔̅̔̃͝.̶͎̭̈́͑͋̈́̄̃̒ ̵̺̉̈́̅̓͒̔͠ͅY̶̧̜̱̞͇͊̔̔̊̇͝Õ̸̡̭̙U̸͓͓̝ ̷̙͔̉͌́͗͗̋͜͝ͅT̶̘̹̃̉̈́̾̈́̏O̴̥͎̙̓͛O̴̧̼̖̙̲̼͈̽̆͌͐͒̈Ḵ̸̡̹̟͖̓ ̷̘̦̟͍̖͓̀T̴̨̡͂H̶͙̰͂̉͘͘Ȅ̷̙̦͔̗̌͋͆̂͘͜͝ͅ ̷̖̊̐͗̈́Ů̷̥͙̮̞̰̩̈́̂̇̔̑P̸̠̼̬̥͉͛̓͑̌̈́̑G̸̞̞̽͝R̶͔͖̤͊̉͋̂̉͊̚ͅÂ̴͍̜̌͊̾͂̏̚D̴̞̺͍̘̩̈̂͑̋E̶̛͓̭̠̊͋.̸̰͖̳͠ ̴̢̧̣̰̪̦̹͌È̷̬̩͕͍V̸̤͍̤̾̐̂̇̂̈́͂E̶̟̝̺͛͑̎̌͠͝Ŗ̸̤̹͂̚Ÿ̸̗̬̠̞̱́̈́̋͒T̴̼͙̋͆͌H̷̻̍Ḯ̴̢͙̝̫͓N̷̡̜͒́̅̔̚͝G̵̨̺͚̩̖̯ ̷͈̀͂̈́̄W̵̼̟̪̤͘A̸̻̦̮̫̥̦̭͛̈͐͂͛Ş̴̡̛͔̭̪͋̾̉͑͘ ̵͍̞̣̔͆͗̈́̕͝G̷͖͖̩̹͕͎͐ͅO̵͎͇͖̓̊͗͆̆Į̸̞̞͉͈̖͋͜N̵̥̥̓͊̆͆͊͋͛G̷̫̍̏ͅ ̷̬́Ţ̴̣͔̘̺̔͜Ǫ̶̢̹͔̖̯̋͌̄̚͝ ̶̏̇̑̆͘ͅW̵̝̟̪̓͑̏͌͛Ọ̵̲̖̓Ȓ̶͍͊̒̓Ḱ̴̮̪̬͙̭͈.̷̡͖̖̦͗ ̶̡̹͖͕̺̑Ṫ̸̠̃̈͗̀͒Ȧ̶̧̧̭̰̝̈́̃R̸̨̦̲̝̱͙͍̐G̵̜͚̦͆̍̆͆̕͜Ȩ̵̲̜͈͔͍̾̐Ṯ̸͍̗̣͔̃ ̵̛̗͕̼͎̘̖̉̋̓͑̓͝F̴̡͉͖͎̥̤̌͜Ë̸̪͎́̋͗͛̕M̶͇̠̒̀͐̈̈A̸͍͇̖̞̣̮͛̆̄́L̶̡͔̤̘̪̖̬̇̏͆̔̕Ě̸̤̹͙͙͒ ̸͚͛̎̓̈́̾́W̸̜̝̪͒̈́͘̕Ō̶̢̭̤̣̪͒͊̆̈́̆Ŭ̸̮͕͖̬͕̰̀̅͑̕͜͝Ḽ̸̢̮̌̍D̴̯̮͑͗̂ ̴̢̱̙͛͛̒͆̈͝H̶̛̞̬̹̩̎A̶͇͌̌̈́̈́̽̚V̷̧̖̼͇̩̍̃̑͘͜͜͠E̵̦̩̮̅̂̒ ̸̱͓̩̱̰̇̃B̶̛̳̼͕̯̮͖̮E̷̠͊͝E̸̞̤̠̪̺̍ͅN̵͉̥̤̤̳̳͂̌̿̌̏̔̕ ̸̞̈̕A̶̡̛͉̬͕̓͆͆ͅC̵̪͎̑̔C̴̯͍͍̪͑̈́͌ͅE̸̖͇̻̠̭͎͂̀͌Š̷̛̪͖̜͉̔͗͘͜S̸̞̫͔̼̦͗̔͑̇͆͛͗Ị̸̤̘B̷͙̼̦̦͇̞̳͋̔̍̌͘̕Ĺ̴͉͍̟̣̥̣̽Ḛ̷̡͎͙̽.̶͕̣͓͙̻̩̬͐̕ ̶̢͖͚̮̝͑̉͌T̸̨̛͚̤̗͔̗̔͒́͐̕͠A̵̢̛̻̜͓̬̣̓̋͜R̸̫̭̳͚̻̟̝̃̔̆́̈́͊G̵͈͚̠̲̝͆͝Ę̸̮͙͔̔͛̕͠T̴̢͋̈́ ̷̪̗̟̼̣̭͓̄̋͗̑͝͝M̵̫̞̭͙̦̠̂Ḁ̸͔̠̅͊̓́̚L̷͇̼̙͈̥̙͉̎E̷̜̬̜͓̲͐̆̒̃͗͑̕S̵̢͉̟̋̾̾̾̚͜ ̵̞̪̬̺̞̋̔͂W̴̧̭͖̟͇͓͗́̕O̸̰͕̳̿̍̇U̴̧͕͙̯̤͚͂͗L̵̡̙̮͉̭̗͗̈͑͆͂͘ͅD̷̯̯̬̼̩̜̮̓͗ ̶̛͓̙͂H̷̰͙̞̝̍͛̅̇̂A̵͎̠̒̈B̸̛̝͖͚͚͎̾̿É̶̢̻̫̤̅̑͠͝ ̵̧̬͍̜̝̬̣̓͌̔͠͝͝B̵̢̤̲͚̣͐̉̅͊͜Ė̵̗͙̲̱̜͊̃͒E̵̛͎̟̥͐̅̃N̵͚͙̬̜̂̄͐͊̅ ̸̻͉̽͛Ä̴͖́̊̉̽͆̾Ç̷͕̙͉͐̀̀͋̑̚C̴̡̠̱̘͈͙̒̐̓͛̐͠E̶͙̮͑̍̒̎̌̆́S̷̞͉͇̦̺̾̐͂͋̈́̇͠ͅS̴̛͉̭̏͂͗͑Ȉ̷͓̤̱̺̾́̀̈̇͊B̴̻͔̫̈́Ļ̵̨̻̞͊̈́̏́͝Ȇ̵̛͍̖̎̊̑̊̈́.̵̢̡͉̖̜̩͒̌̆̈́ ̸͖̽͑̃͌͘Ÿ̷̡̧̡͍̤̪͉̓Ỏ̷͙̥̩͙̳̼̀̊̏̽͝Ũ̴̳͂͋̿ ̶̡̞͔͇̇̽̊̉͘C̴̡͙̫͉̈́͑̀̈́̏͘͠ͅO̷̱͓̖̾̅͌̓̕͠ͅU̵̙͝L̶̢̪͓͈̆̓̏̅̍D̷͖͚̀͒̽͛͛͝ ̷̼̗͕̃̕H̵̡̭̠͔̮͖́̒̓A̵͎̱͇̝̠̒͛̆̏̀V̶̧͎͕̞̠́͐̕͝Ê̷̜̜̻̻̜̆̈́ ̷͖̗͂̎͂̕E̵͔͙͑̍V̵̞͇̟̾͒̅̑́͘͜ͅȨ̸͓̖̩̭̳̹̄̎͒̚Ŗ̵͈̟̤̻͔̰̀̈́̚͝Ỹ̸̦̬̳͚̇̉̊T̵̜̘͛͜H̵̝̘̦͖̺͓͊Ĩ̸̧̳̭͉̯̯͋̈́N̸̼̊̈́͋̆̈́͘G̸̯̜̅͒̀̈̋̂.̶̧̡͔͇̻̇͋̔̕ ̸̛̗̮̖͑̓͒́́I̵̜̖̩͚͌̎̏͝F̸͔̖̖̣̖̐̆̄͗̂̆͜ ̴̳͍͌̑̆̔͆Y̸͙̘͚̦͈̭̒O̶̧͔̝̐̋̂̈͠U̶̖͆̎͑̍͝ ̵̡̢̣͎͖̽ͅJ̵̛͓͌̈́U̴̺̠̙̥̻͑͂͝Ś̷̤̣̖͓̓̐͊͊͠T̵̪̦̜͙̻̜̓..."** _

_The SQUIP held out a clawed hand, inky limbs hovering them all, threatening to come down._

_" **L̷̢̧̧̧̨̨̡̡̨̨̧̢̧̡̧̢̧̡̛̛̛̛̛͇̬̥͓̫͎̻͉̮̣͈̲̰̫̖̝̰̮͙̱̗̱͍̯̟̦̺̖̠̬̩̞̦̟͍̯͔͖̥̹̫̼͉͇̗̬̜̖͎̙̤͓̱͔̰͎̘͎͓͚̱̞̱̟̙̬̲̼̜̗̬̤̣̦̣̺̮̖͈̗̘̜̣̤̺̣̙̗̯̱͖̣̰̻͉̽̍̉̀͌͗̒̊́̾̿̽̂̒̓̀̾̄̒̈́̈́͊͛̾͊̒̾͗̽̽̎̔̌͗̾̓̔̓̈́̐́̿̄̎̈́̾̃̅͌̋̎͋̇͌͐̒̏̽̃̃̈̐͊̍͋͋̍̓̎̎̿̐̓̂͂̊̈́̂̈́͂̅̓̅̂̽̊͛̓͐͌̏̑̋̄̿̿̿̃̈́̉͛̔͑̕̚̕̚͘̕͘̕͘̕̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͝ͅͅͅĮ̶̢̡̨̡̢̨̢̨̧̢̨̛̛̛̛̭̱̙̺̠̲̰̪̙͉̫̯͈̮̖̥͇͈̤̦͔̗̦̟̦̬̭̗̦̮̮̙͇̹̻̠͙͖̮̻͇̯̳͇̖̜̘͉̟͔̟̣̼̯͖̜̺̲̙͚͎͉̫͎̠̩̠̗̗̪̥͉̻̪̻̙̭̗̝̟͉̼̖̱͓͙̥̩͕͉̙̹̺̥̘̗͇͔͇̣͈͈̳̠̼̦̭̝̝̹̪̞̺̞̜̫̘͚̘̩̪͙͕̞̟͚̱̞͚̣̠̩͈̲͎͇̳̱̰̲̼̜̹̥͍̭̱͉͔̰̭̪̮̣̩͔̖͇̭̗̦͈̦͈̪̼̫̦͎͙͚̘͚̦̞͎̱͆̉̊͂̊͆̃͌̌͊̏̈̑̆̉̒̃̾̔͂͂̓̓̎̌̑̂̎̎̔̀͒̓͊͂̆̐̍̅̒̏̈́̏̀͗̀̓̋͌͋͒̄̑̈́͗͌̉̒͌̌́̒̋̔̇̋̿̌̓͐̇͆̉̋̄͊̀͑̃̇̏͌̽͂͂̿̂̑̓͒͊̑̄̿̓̈̍̆͛̆̾̈̊͒͛͑̐̃̇̒̇̎̃͑̓̒̊͗̔̏͗̇̒̓̑̎̇̒͛̇̋͛̊̾̀͋͐͐͆̍̆͗͒́̂͐͊̆͒̈́͂̿̿͊̓̈́̎̾͛̈̃̎̾͒̓͆̆̐̾̌̍̈́̏̃̑̔͛̈́͒͘͘̕̚͘͘͘͘̕̚̕̕͘̕͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͠͝͠͝͠͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͠ͅͅͅͅͅͅͅŞ̸̨̢̧̡̧̧̢̨̧̧̧̨̨̢̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̪͔͔̫͙̬͙͓̺̘̮̟̯̝͇̥̖͙͓̖̲̩̯͔̹̘̺̭̯͎͙̻̩̣͖̳͚̭̙̰̺͓̥͉̬͉̠̮̱̥̜̜̠͍͖͚̯͕̮͓͚̳̣̲̠̙̹̭̲̼̯̝͖̪̘̫̱͚͚͓̪̳͚͔̗̮̺̩̯̣̖̣̫͎͈̦̯͎͕̜͚͎͍̗͕͖̳͍̤̺̝̰̱͖͓̤̥͈͓͕̝̤̙̻̙͖̣̣̼̳̤̱̭̦̪̤̥̻͈͉͔̹̳͉̘͙̖͇͚̠̘͉̼̞͇͈͚͇̳̥͓̼̠̠̖͙͉͔͇̹͉͍̭͙͇̣̼͕̤̼͍̘̗̳͙̃̓͆̆̔̏͐̓̅́̂̎͊͊̏͐̊̂̇̈́̑̑̇͋͑̓͆̏̌̆̌̓͆̔͒͌̄̈̽̆̅̆̔̓͌͐͆͊̆̈́̍̾̈́̂̎̍̿̎̀̌̍̓̏͂̄̑͆͊̆̑̌̃͐̾̾̅̌̇̋̂̍̈́̉͌͊̽̽̀̽͗̀̃͆̄̄̾͆́̐̋̅̀̃̂͂̆͂̒́̍̈͌̊͆͊͋͌͂̔̃̒̓̇̏͆̐̂́̌̿͗̍͆̈̈͐͐͒̑̉̐͌͊̋̋͛́̌̋͒̀̂̎̐̿͐̓̒̂̐̿̽̕͘̚̕̚̚̚̕͘̕̚̕͜͝͝͠͝͠͠͠͝͝͝͠͝͠͝͝͠ͅͅͅṮ̷̡̨̨̨̡̧̡̢̡̡̢̛̛̛̛̛̛̺͙̞̙̳̺̣̮̟͎̟͇͇̰͙̟̦̖̗̙̫͕̺̺͉̘̺̤̯̬̳̟͎͉̗̗̳̫͚̥͎̲̱̻̥̺̦͉̙̥͇̬̲͈͍̙͙̹̙̺̜̹̲̻͙̙̩͖͖͇̲̬̜̝̹̞͕̪̰̤̺̦̲̭͕̥̭̲͚͔̟̣̺̻̖͇̣̜̰̟̼̹̘̳̦̩̟̭̣͉͚̫̤͖̻̈́̆̅̆͗̓̑̆̿̅͐̈́̌̂̉̎͆̐̄͗̐̄̐̽̊͂͌̾̽͌̊̇̑̽̌̒͆̏̋̒̅̽̾̏͌̐͒̑̈́͐̈͋͆̊̌͂͂͋̆̆̔̔̒̆̾̀̿̓͗̿͂͋̊͆̓̈́̃͐̿̊̇̑̏̾͆̋͐̆͑͋̈́́̐͊̽̓̿͗͂̓͗̌̾̈́̾͆͊̓̄̅̐͒̉͒̇̈́͒̒͐̌̇̿̇͑̈́͐̓͋̔͂͐̇̄͛̓̊̿͊̔̐͐̽̎̉̽̽̓̏̾̎̾̿̉̅̎̃̈́̆̅͋́̾͐͐̒̒̓̈́̾̅͊̋̓̅͘̚͘̚͘͘͘͘̚̚̚͘̚͘͘͜͜͜͜͜͝͠͝͝͝͠͠͝͠͠͝͝͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅͅȨ̴̧̢̢̡̢̢̨̨̡̧̢̨̢̨̧̡̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̛̻̹͓͕̩̠͚͙̺̦̥̪̣̙̭̦̤͍̘̳̠͓͖͈͇͓̳̟̜͇̣̙͎̬̦̖̟̥̻͓͓̝̼͕̙͈͔͙̩̥̝̩̬̠̤̼̩̘̺̥͔̠̥̲̗̘̹̠̺̯̘̖͎͇̮̞̺͍̲̠͇̞̟͔̖̺̖̣̫̯̣̟͎̱̻̬͎͎̯̮̻̮̼̜̥͙̹̳̝̙͇̱̲̙͓͙̭̮͙̩̺̭͓͚̬̗̟̰̰̻͔͍͓͖̭̯̥͚̬̲͙̹͙̩̩̻͚̹̥̦̻̳̬̙̥̠̹͔̙̯̯͚͈̗̻̦̙͓̹̣̳͔̹͚̣̳̗̩̰̼̥͍̮̬̯̼̠͈̣̹̩̺̦̞͎͔̫̳̺̗͙̳̬̱̗̪͙͕͖̗̪̣͚̮̏̽̔̔̊̑̉̌͑̈̋̆̋̈̀͗̀̈́͐͗̍̏̃̈́̀̓̽̅̉̀̉̈́͛͗͊̿̇̇̀͐̈́͐͒̇͛̽͆͗̔̒̀͂̔̓͗̓̈́̏̈́̓͛̃̎̎͑̈́̎̓̔̉̄̆̅̓̆͊̉̅͛̋͆̈̐̓̆͒͆̐̊͆͐́̏̈́̔̍̌̏̎͊͗̐̋̿̇̄̋̓̽̑͂̈̏̌̇̈́͆͛͑̐̓̿̄͋̈́͐̅͒̽̑̍̅̎̽̑̓̽̓̒̋̌͆͛̿̃̂̓̓͒͂͗̏̂̑̾͑͂̀͗̆̑͗̏̿̐̍̊̃́̿̄̄̽̓̈́̽̅͗̍͛͑̈́̊̃̑̔͂̈́̉̇̈́͒͑̈́̎͛͘̚͘̕͘͘͘͘̚̚̕̚̚͘͘̕͘͘̚͜͜͜͜͜͝͝͝͝͝͠͠͠͝͠͝͠͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͠ͅͅͅͅͅͅͅͅͅN̶̢̡̨̢̡̢̧̢̢̡̛̰͓̯̮̦̦͍͖̪̣̝̳̣̺̟͉̹̺͉̖̜̠̙̝̜͈̝̺̬̬̦̯̫̯̥̳̖̳̟̙̬̩͙̦̖̱̮̟̺̘̗͓̺̗̝͙̟̩̟͇͈͈͙̫̼̳̮̥̝̯͍̖͎̙̖͖̥͇͚͎͕̯̟̣̗̜̠̭͓̭̼͔̰̣͉͎̳̳͇̦̹̖͚̼̫̞̘̩̪̟̞̈́̿͐̔͛̔̈̋͗̂̀̿̈̈́̿̌͑̂͊͋͒̓͐̉̑̅͊̋͛̍̒́̈̈́̓̍͗͒͆̓̍̑̀̈́̽̋̽͊̊̃͆̌̎͘̚̕̚̕͜͜͜͝͝͠͠͝ͅ.̷̢̨̢̨̛̛̛̩͚̥͎̞̦͈̭̮͖͚͖̱̞̙̻̲̩̯̪͇̪͈̈͊̔͗̇̾̊͛̃̃͗̽͂̎̽̊͑̏̂̇̂̀̈́̑͋́̊̌͌̌͑̐̈́̊̍̈̂̎̈́͐̽͐̐́̔̇̋̎̿̆̔͛͐̉͐̑̅̅̾̀͌̈́̉͋͌̆͂̽̐̿̑̆͗̋͂̓̈́̋̓̽̏̽͋̾̐̋̀͆̌͋̓̑͗͊̅̓̓̿̄͊̋̂͐̅̋͂̒͊̃̿̈́̓̒͘̚͘̚̕̕͘̚̕̚̚͘͘̕̕̚͘̕̚͠͝͝͝͝͠"**_

_The hands cast a shadow. Each of the clasped tighter then every. Fear and determination was set in their eyes. The slowly pulled him back, whispering words of encouragement. They held on, no intention of giving him up._

_But,_

_" **Ę̵̢̫̳̪̻͈̺̖̦̯̭̙͛̀͌͜V̸̧̧̧̲͓̤̙̳͉̲͙̈́̇͌̉̎̎͐̽́̚͜͝ͅE̵̦̻̣̠̥͙̟̠͙̪̍̿R̴̨̡͉̼͋͋͌͛̽̉̂͠ͅỶ̴̻̐̌̔́̋Ṭ̷̨̛̙̮̮͈̙̜͒̉̾͗̊̽̚͝ͅH̸̨̛͙͍͇̘̯͖̆͋͆̇̐̄͆͂͌̈́̒͜͝ͅI̶̡̢̖̘͓̝͚̞̦̝͉̐̑̓͝N̵̡̛̝̱̳̙͔͈͔̥͎̜̟̟͗͊͒̀̓̑̿̿G̸̨̞̥̔̈́̍͆̍̊̑̂̒͠͝ ̷̨̨̨̙̣̳̱̺̇̓̉̃̈̋̑͘͘A̵̛͍̟̜̘̘̩̱̝̠̅͗̈́̈́̐͋͒͊̉̃̍̇͘͝Ḇ̶̢̢̨͎̩͓͕͉̠̖̺͇͕͚̕͝Ọ̵̙̫͈̦͕͊̓Ù̶̥̭̰̺͙̀͂̑͂̉̏̎͝Ţ̸̤͖̭̮̖̈́̒̀̅͋̉́̋̓͛͘̚͠ͅ ̴̩̩̞̣̯̤̅̍̓́̇͆͒̄͠Ÿ̶̛͕̟̘̻̫̩́͛̿̀̕ͅO̵̺̱̭̯̟̱̺͙̽̾Ų̴̛̛̋͛͋͑́̅͘ ̴̻̣̭̳̤͓̊̉́͜I̴̫̭̻̣̞̟̓̒̿̒̕͝͝S̷̘̖͊̒͆͛̂̋̍̿͑̚ ̴̢̛̗̬̭͖͖̩̥͔̪͎̗͂͋̓̑͘͝S̸͔̟̻̖̮̲̟͈̦̫̜͚̗̱͓͐͗O̷͈͚̙͙͎͑̓̀͐̈̃͜͝ ̷͎̭̳̉̏͑̃̚̚͝T̴̗͉͔͗̊̽̒̏̀̀̉͑͒̿͐͛Ȩ̶̜͚͓̗̝̼̝̟̠̄̈͑̑̿̚̕͜R̸̢̺̜̣̫̭̒̈́̌́̒͊̽̿́̈́͗̇̏͝Ṙ̸̯̫̎̈́́͘I̵͚͈̣̻̪̠̯͉̒̉̾̔̌͊̅̑͜͝ͅB̶͈͋͜L̵̛̛̻͖̂̏̓̆͘͠Ḙ̷̛͖͍̭̠̻̪̱̒̎̅̈́̎̉͊̒͂̓͜.̸̛̩̮̘͖̮̫̫̒̌̓̄̆́̏̅͝͝ͅ"**_

_"Why.. ?"_

_Jeremy was muttering to himself. The marks from his previous attempt of escape began to glow faintly. Rich gasped, horrified._

_"Jeremy!?" He shook the boy, how was still unresponsive to him._

_"Everything about me is just terrible..."_

_"No! No! Its not! I think you're wonderful. Rich thinks you're wonderful. Michael thinks you're wonderful. Jeremy-" Jenna was shaking him as well._

_Inky tears, black and think, began to drip down Jeremy's face._

_"Holy shit-" Jake._

_"Jerry! Snap out of it!" Chloe._

_"Sweetie, come back." Brooke._

_" **E̸̡̡̡̘̮̝̤͓̖̮̎͒́̈̑͆̀͊͛̕͝ͅV̷͋̂͂̈̈́̍̿̅͗͜E̷̖̠̩̺̺̫̖̤̖̾̊̄͑̓̅̅̓͆͠R̷̡̨̭̙̻̭̠̬̘̊̎͑̈́͊̑̿̉͊͊̊̊̋͝͝ͅỲ̸̛̥͍͙̻̠̟̹̲͕̱̖͚͉͓̊̌̉͛̌̇̉̓̓͝ͅṬ̵͓̤̱͍̂͐͑̐̍̉̆̑H̸͍͎͔̋̽́̌̀̔̐͛̃̈́̇͘͘͝Ĩ̴̢̢̯̰̮̙̦͙͎̳͉̪͊͒̽͘N̸̡̠͇͉̣̤͕̹̲͕̳̜̼̻̞͐̃̓Ġ̴̰̫̹͎̑͒̑̒͐̈́̈̔̎̚ ̷̡̢̝̲̜͉̯̟̫̞͛͂̈́͒̍̄̓̄̇̚A̷̖͍̩̥̟̻͍͐̐́͊͆̑̃̆͘͜͠͝B̶̲͖̻͖̳͓͆̀̾̆̎̂͒̏̑͐O̸̻͓͈̤̰̲̼̳̊͂̿͌͒͠͝U̷̗̩̬̩̝̣̯̺̱̘̥͒͒͐̎̉̐̾̃͗̓͛̕T̶̢̡̛̻͈̬̠̤̯̘̈̀̆͝͠ ̷̧̨̛̳̟̱̗̣̞͚̰̗͉̙͇̅̇̈͌̒͆̔͗̎͜͝͝Ỵ̴̡̜̊̃̊̔͋Ǫ̷̡̰̜͎̺̬̠̯̰͙̌̾̋̌̾̐̐ͅͅȔ̶̢̨̧̝͇̘̜̗̼̙̬̤͎̙̋̐̎͆̃̋̓̔̚̚͝ ̶͇͖̠̞͖̂̂̀̇͑̇̈̌M̸̹̹̖͕̤̯̑̈́̏̽͊̂̊́̒͗̾̎͠Ā̵̧̛̙͕̤͓̟̝̣͌́͜͝K̶̡̧̡̭̜͕̘̦̬͚̬̭̺̭̲̊͒͒̅̑Ẻ̵̱̦̫̂̃S̵̹̦̈́̔̈́͗̄͑̀̕ ̸͍̣̗͕͙̇̎̂͋̓̏̀͝͝M̸̧͎̲͉̞̙̬̼̱͋̍̂̽̀̎̿̚E̴̩͎̤̬̹͕̋̂̎͑̓͘͝ ̶̧̨̯̟̩̘̜̟̬̺̤̯͕̪̾̂͋͜͠W̷̧̮̙͑̿͆͒̄̅͒Á̴̢̙͖̥̺̠̃́̀͐̿̕N̶̢̼̱̜̟͖̣̦͕͍̰̜͗́͊͛̾ͅN̸͚̜̟̠̰̙͕̙͇͍̗̠̲͊̇͌͐͋̋͆̊͒̄̚͜͝Ä̴̗̗͔̟̠̳̠͍́̅͊̾͜͝ ̵̨̡̳̙̱̗̞̮̭̤͖̝̣͈̋̆͗͊͑̀̄͊D̸̘͍̫̫̣̀͑̕Į̸̛̗̳̰̞̤͙͕͓̬̈́̈́̓͛̋̀͌̈́̏̚͜͜͜ͅḘ̴̢̉͒͋͆̈́.̵̧̭̙̟̿̂͂͛̌̿̽̑̾̽̇͑͌͝͝"**_

_"Die. Why. Why should I die. Was I that terrible."_

_Jeremy was trembling._

_They tried to hold on, but the monster picked them off and tossed them like bugs._

_Reyes and Chloe and Brooke, Christine and Jake and Jenna. They were thrown like garabage. They smacked into the monitors, crying out in pain. Glass shattered and screams rang._

_Rich held onto Jeremy's hand tightly, whispering small encouragements in the least broken voice he could manage._

_Then, it's inky hands rested on the boys face. Jeremy shuddered._

_ **'Let go. Let go. Let go."** _

_Rich was horrified, even more than before. Jeremy's face contorted and his voice was broken like of had never been used. Ink crawled down his arms and hands and neck._

_Rich stood, gripping the hand._

_He shouted:_

_"Let go of him!"_

_A chuckle, horrid and deep. The SQUIP held up its grotesquely deformed face and cracked a terrifying smile._

_**"Ḭ̷̧̧̡̛̫̮̦͉̣͎̝̞̯̪̲̺̬̜̩͖͎̞͔̣͈̫̗̣̫̬͈̻̩̗̦̘̱̗̦̗̺̺̼͈̗̝͙̺̳͙͓͓̈́̂̌̿̆͑̒̈̆̈̓̂̅͊́̽̎̏̅̈́͊͌͑̋͛͒͛́̇̔̏̇̔̊̕͠͝͠͝ͅͅŢ̵̡̪̩̲̖̤̱̰͔͍̻̭̟̱͔̬̞͙͍͙̬̝̭͖͇͈̗͖̦̱̹̯̼͚̹̝̫̦̙̦̫͚̞̫̣̯͎̜͎̪̈́͐̍́̋̅̃̑͊͜͝S̶̡̨̧̧̢̛̛̹̬͓͍̖̯̗̻͚͙͈͚̫̳̱̟͎̭̬̟͗̄̔͂̐̈́̏̾̽̑̉̐̔͆̈́̔̍̈̽̈́͑̂̆̈̉̆̒̔̐̔̆̊̔̐̓͑̈̆̕̕̚̚̚̕͝͝ͅ ̷̰͍̩T̸̨̧̢̨̢̥̭̯͔͙̗̳̦̰̞̭̘͕̞͔͉̰̥̻̻͈̬̪̙̝̮͔͖̪̤̣̝̫̬͚̩͚͇͍̿͛͋͆́̎̋͊̋́̈́̅̋̇̇́̏͌̒̍̓̿̀͛͊͂̄̉̈́̄͒̿̆̈́͋̋̌̍̃͑̀̈̂̕̕͠͠͝͝ͅĮ̶̧̨̨̢̛͓̙͉̦̞̟̖̹̪̠͔̲͓̲͍͖̭̘̳͕̤̣̦̳̬̞̦̟̰̞̟̳͉̖̪̖̜̑͒̈̍͌͌͛̄̌́̋̆̍͑̒͛͒̿͂͐͘͘͝͝͠͝͝M̶̡͚͎͍͙̯̙̙̲͍̬͚͔͎̭̤͉̲̜͎̾͆̏̇̓̃̈́̒̑͛̄̈̍͆͑̃̍̄͛͑̂̎̏́̈́̈́̈̽̓̚̕̕̚͜͜͝͝͝E̸̢̨̢̡̛̗̹̫̬̝͉̬͍̱͓̫̳̫̣͍͎̼͕̖̟̤͚̞̯͔̬̺̹̜̞͚̰̰͍͎͎͐̿̓͋͌͗̓͊͋͊̀͗̚̕͜͠ ̷̨̛̘̺͙͈̥̲͓̜̪͔̣͚͍͎͔̍́̌͗̅̑̍́̓̐̽̊͐́̈͐̿̄̈́̄͂̄̔̍̓̔͗̉̓̆̐̈́̏̅͘̕͜͠F̷̧̡̨̡̡̛̛͙͍̫̗̘̘̜̦̩̖̠͕̹̼̮̩͈̹͍̣͕̯͖̗̭̘̖̦̘̲̥̙͓͕̟̺̳̯̮͓͇̻͚̝͎͐̐̈͛̇̆̈́̃̍͊̑͆̓̽̎̊̓̑̃͗̉̎̒͆̈́̽̔̈̇̇͐́̔̍̚̚̚͘̕͜͠͝͠ͅŎ̶̧̨̧̨̙̺̩̝̟̜͚̝̱͈̬̖̺͉͕͓̬̪̥̣̠͈̼͔̥̭̣̹̟̰̙͖̬̺̝͔̪̩̻̗̳̖̤͙͎̺͚̌̆̔͛̔̑͛ͅŖ̵̢̳̦̤̤̳̥̰͕̳̪̞̮͈̗̟̗̹͕̬̱͎̬̱͎̳̭̻̲̣̹̲̤͚͚̳̈́̔͒͑̅̒̿̈́̃̔̏̇̓̉̄͌̆̍́̑̍̋̒͜͜͠͝ ̴̡̡̨̨̛̛̦͓̙̬͚̩̯͈͇̯̘̼̹̼̘̘̬͕͇̩̯̩̠͕͓̼̠̮͎͈̝̰̬̱̦̩̳̭̯̠͖͖̖̼̭̜͇̱̿͊̔͒͌̅̉͂͋͌̍̌̂̾̿͗̃̌̓̂͌͋̑̈̉̊̈́̾͋͒̈́͊͜͜͜͝͠Y̴̧̢̡̧̛̘͓̬̻̻͔͍̻̘̹̦̦̩͕̣͍̣̭͖̙̱̩̖̼̹̰̙̟̹̔̓̍͗̂͂̀̈́̓̎͂̏͋̿̄̋͒͛̽͛̇͗̀̂̽̋̐̀̽̑͊͗̉̈́́̅̀̈́̈́̔̐̈́́̄̃̏̉̽̆̈́̕̚͘͘͠͝O̴̡̡̝̼̥͓͔̲̊͜Ů̶̧̢͚̯̩̻͈̣͖͕̭͓̙̪̠̰̩͋̈́̉͒̋́̾̏̆̿ ̵̢̡̡̥̪͙̜̖̘̹̦̦̙̪͓̳͚̥͉̪̮͇̱͖̓̒͑̅̌̒̂̏͂̈́͗͑̾̏̏̈̅͑̾̉̑͑̈́̏̍͠͝͝Ţ̷̢̢̧̛̛̬͖̟͕̫̤͕̬̙̺͔̲̫̱̞̯̟͔̺̥̳̙̩̪̈̊̂̒̈́̅̋͐͌̏̅̈͝͝Ơ̸̧̡̘̟̥͇͓̬̖̙̺͓̞̭̳͉̫̯͇̼̯̓̌̈̇͆̿̑̇̅͑̒̇̈̽̽̍̋̓̍̊̈́̿̉̈́̈́͆͋̌̅̿̽̚̕̚̚̚̚͝͠ ̶̢̡͙̻̻̼͚̥̙̝̪͙̟̣̠̖̝̻̺̺̥̳̠̩̫͙̫̫̬̞͖̹͕̑͗͒̔̂̅̉͑̍̓͆̓̓̈́̎͒̽̑͗͐̽̎̑͘̚͜͜͜͝ͅẈ̶͆͋́͋͂̅̄͋̊̄Ǎ̵̡̨̨̛̛͈̻͈͉̦͖̱̹͎̲̩̗̦̻͇͕̘̝͖̮͈̗̤͙̜̭̭̩̬͚̠͈̠̝͙̙̺̰̔̏̽̈́̓̊͆̏̑͜͜͝ͅͅͅĶ̴̧̢̧̧̛̯͉̼̰̟̬̺͈͍̖̜̺̗̮̠̼͇̺͖̙̣͓̹̺̗̣̲̖̈́͌̇̾͆̑̆̓̃̍̆̋͆̏͂̽̌̄̈́̈́̎̈́̒̃̿̍͆̈́̒̍͗̏̈͌͑͆͆̕͘̕̕͝͝͠͝ͅͅͅE̸̱̟̫̳̿͒̍̈͊́͐͒̏̑͛͆̽̌̾̾̒̓͛͗͋̓̕̕͝ ̵̗̖̯̤̹͖̣̲̱͖͈̲͈̞̮̩̺̩̣̯͖̩̫̗̱͉̞̮̿̈́̀͑͊̈́̌̇̿̊̿̽͊̈́͑̃͌̀̾͐̑̽͒̍͐͌̿̆͛̈̀̊̓̅̍͊͂̌̒̋̎͛̐̕̚͜͝ͅU̴̢̡͉̰͙̪̤̻͚̞̼̘̲̠̻̜̬̳̩̝̜͑̒͒ͅͅP̵̡̡̨̨̧̝̠̲͚͍̗̝̗͓̬͕͈͈͍̘̻͉̖̖̲̭̣̰͈̻̯͖͉̹̘̹͖̘̜͈̪̮̆̽̋͌͒̂̽̑̊͂̿́̾̄̍̔̏̃͂͑̓̽̚̕͝͝ͅ,̷̨̨̧̧̛̼͚̖̳̫͙̜͓̻͚̪̙͓̺͌̊̌̆̍̍̂̏̔̂̿̾͑̏̅͋͊̌̃̅̾͗̄͊̂̒͊͌̑͊̊̏͆̾̿͛̚͘̚̕̕̕̚͜͝͝͝͝ ̵̨̛̛͓͓̬̮̝̥̻͍͔̗̉̽͒̔̉͒̈̔͗̈́̒͛̾̋̉͗̃̈́̂̓̅̐͆̈́͛̉͊̿̍̂͗͝͝͝R̴̡̢̡̮̞͚͇̜̝̳̪̜̰̥͕͓̤̤͙̗̩͉̙͇͍̙̘̫̭̻͔̱͔͕̥͈͓̰̞͚̤̫̗͖̞̲̼̬͙̬̪̳͙͓͖̰̰͗̊̓͒͑̅̑͑̀̍͆̍̏́̉̆̒̔̅̀̃̇͝͠͝͝I̷̡̨̢̢̨̢͕̳̦̞͙̘̺͇͖̪͙̹͚͈͕͚̘̲̬̭̝͍͎͈̙̭̳̒̍̿͋̔̇̔̈́̿̑̐̇͌͆̓͒̂̎̄͊͌͋͂͊͂͆̽̚̕̚̚͘͘̚͝͠͝ͅC̵̡̡̨̨̧̛̛͍̺̻̝̺̻̖̩̳̞͚͓͓͇̠̟̞̮͚̺̞̱̼͖̭̙̰̘̻̼̳̭͍̝̮̮̣̼̳̤̭͗̏̓̇̊̄̂͌͗̀̍̏͆͒̽̈́͊̓̃̕͜͜͜͜ͅḨ̸̨̨̖̠̺͇̫̬͔̼̝̮̙̮̥̹͕͇̜̲͖̹̇̐̔̀͗̒͒͋̍̄̊͆͛͋̍̓͊͛̒̓̇̆̈́̃̚͜͜͝A̵̢̛͓̰̥͓̖̼̼̝̭̺̪̳̮͙̣̰͙̲͊͛̈́͒̋͛̍̅̎̋̄͌̍̿̓̊ͅṚ̷̢̢̧̛̛̛̗̘̰̰̟̝̥̮͈̪̹̻̜̘̲̟͎̟̥̻͍̟͎̤̭̣̣̟̥̟͙̼̬̺̙̳͙̲͖͙̻̫͈̜̝̦̰̩̽̋͗̽͛͂̆̎͑̑̽͐̀̈̄͐͗̃̑͐͌̅̎͑͛̓͑͌̊̒͋̈́̌̓̈́̏͛̌̉̔̅͂̋͛̐͌̍͋̉͘͘͜͜͜͝D̶̢̨̡̡̧̢̤͕̝̪̻̪̩̙͎̘͙̦͉̼͇̹̲̣̙̗̦͉̦͕̲̬̭̯͗̆̑̽̿̀̽̍̈́͋͗̋̆̈̋̈́͆̄̾͋͆̇̆͂̑͒͛̒̎͐̈̃́̕͘̚͘͜͜͠͝͝ͅ** _

_Pain seared through him._

_He knew glitching out of an existence was painful, but this..._

_This was what death would feel like will being stabbed, burned, and electrocuted at the same time._

_The mere shock of pain forced to let go of a life. He had to give up Jeremy's hand._

_He screamed, trying to fight the pain. It coursed through and around him. He choked and coughed._

_And then the scene turned to white._

_-_

"And I need to go _back_! I have to- can't _leave_ them-"

Rich was begging at this point, thrashing about, nearly at tears.

Michael looked like he was going to puke.

_No time, no time, no time-_

Michael was freaking out now until he shouted:

"I knock you out! No- wait! I'll have the nurse kncok you out! Keep thrasing-"

He couldn't stop as Michael pressed the "Call Nurse" button.

A man in scrubs burst in and pulled a syringe from the table he brought with him.

He had to ask Michael to help restrain him and he inserted the needle.

Once finished, Rich began to calm and the nurse left after giving Michael some sort of instructions.

Michael's face showed in his vision and the boy whispered: "I believe you. Go save them."

 

Then the scene turned to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kill me.


	8. ̴H̴e̶ ̸a̸n̶d̶ ̸I̴t̴

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ̴H̴e̶ ̸a̸n̶d̶ ̸I̴t̴.̸  
> ̴I̷t̵ ̸a̵n̵d̸ ̷H̵e̵.̸

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A̷P̶O̵L̶O̸G̶Y̸.̶  
> ̶C̶H̷A̶P̶T̵E̵R̶ ̴N̴O̸T̸ ̷F̸O̶U̸N̵D̵.̷  
> ̶W̴O̷R̸D̶S̶ ̴F̵O̴U̸N̷D̸ ̶F̴R̶O̵M̵ ̸P̸R̵E̸V̵I̷O̴U̴S̸ ̶T̴E̸X̸T̵.̴  
> ̸E̶R̷R̸O̶R̷.̷  
> ̷A̶P̴O̴L̶O̸G̷Y̸.̸  
> ̶S̵O̷R̴R̴Y̵ ̴F̸O̵R̴ ̴T̵H̴E̸ ̵I̶N̴C̷O̸N̵V̵E̵N̴I̴E̴N̷C̸E̴.̴

H̵e̵ ̶c̶a̴n̴ ̴o̶n̷l̷y̷ ̸s̷e̸e̸ ̸w̴h̴a̷t̴ ̵i̶t̴ ̵ _a̶l̷l̷o̷w̴s̸_ ̵h̴i̸m̵ ̶t̸o̷ ̶s̵e̴e̵.̵  
̴  
̶H̵e̵ ̷c̴a̴n̴ ̷a̷l̵l̵o̸w̷ ̸h̵e̴a̶r̶ ̴w̷h̷a̸t̸ ̴i̴t̸ ̷ _a̸l̶l̶o̶w̴s̶_ ̷h̸i̷m̷ ̵t̴o̶ ̷h̶e̷a̸r̸.̵  
̷  
̵H̴e̶ ̵c̸a̴n̵ ̵o̷n̴l̵y̷ ̴ _o̵b̴e̸y̸_.̴  
̶  
̴H̸e̷ ̴c̵a̵n̵ ̵o̸n̶l̸y̵ ̴ l̴i̶s̵t̴e̸n̵.̷  
̷  
̴H̸e̴ ̸h̷a̵s̴ _̴n̶o̷ ̶c̵h̴o̶i̵c̵e̴_.̵  
̴  
̶H̴e̶ ̴c̶a̴n̷ ̸b̵a̶r̴e̷l̸y̸ ̸h̷o̶l̵d̶ ̵o̴n̸.̶  
̸  
̸H̶e̵ ̶h̴o̸l̷d̸s̵ ̴o̸n̶ ̷t̷o̵ ̶t̸h̶o̶s̵e̴ ̴f̶e̴w̵ ̴ _g̵o̷o̵d̴_ ̸t̷h̸i̸n̴g̴s̴.̵  
̸  
̵L̵i̵k̶e̵,̷ ̸t̷h̸e̵ ̴c̸a̸l̵m̸ ̴w̶h̴i̵s̶p̵e̴r̵s̸ ̴a̷n̸d̴ ̵h̵a̷p̸p̴y̸ ̸g̸i̸g̵g̸l̸e̵s̶,̸ ̷r̷a̷g̸i̷n̶g̷ ̸a̸f̵t̶e̸r̷ ̷l̵o̸s̸i̶n̵g̸ ̷a̴ ̵g̸a̷m̵e̶,̷ ̸t̸h̶o̶s̷e̸ ̸q̸u̵i̸e̶t̶ ̵n̴i̶g̴h̵t̴s̴ ̷f̸u̶l̵l̷ ̶o̶f̵ ̵s̷t̴a̴r̵s̵,̴ ̴t̴h̸e̶ ̸g̷h̴o̴s̵t̶l̴y̸ ̸f̵e̴e̷l̸i̶n̴g̷ ̶o̵f̷ ̸a̷ ̶h̴a̶n̵d̶ ̷h̷o̷l̶d̶i̵n̷g̸ ̴h̷i̴s̵,̸ ̴t̶h̶e̶ ̵g̸h̷o̸s̸t̶l̵y̴ ̴f̷e̴e̵l̷i̵n̵g̵ ̸o̵f̸ ̸t̷o̷u̴c̴h̴,̶ ̷t̷h̸e̷ ̶s̶m̸i̴l̷e̸s̵ ̸o̶n̸ ̷m̵u̶l̴t̷i̷p̵l̸e̶ ̴c̴o̵l̷o̵r̵f̷u̶l̴ ̷f̸a̵c̸e̵s̸.̷  
̴  
̵C̸o̸l̴o̷r̸.̵  
̸  
̵H̸e̸ ̷m̵i̵s̸s̵e̸s̵ ̵f̸e̸e̵l̴i̶n̸g̵.̵  
̴  
̴H̶e̷ ̸m̴i̸s̴s̶e̴s̸ ̶l̷o̵v̴e̶.̶  
̶  
̷H̸e̶ ̶m̶i̶s̶s̶e̷s̷ ̷w̷a̵r̶m̸t̷h̸.̸  
̸  
̵.̷.̶.̵  
̴  
̵H̸e̵ ̸c̸a̵n̷ ̶o̶n̸l̵y̵ ̴s̴e̵e̶ ̴i̷t̸.̸  
̷  
̷H̴e̴ ̶c̶a̶n̵ ̶o̴n̵l̵y̸ ̵h̴e̴a̸r̷ ̴p̶a̴i̷n̵ ̷a̷n̴d̶ ̷s̶u̶f̴f̴e̸r̸i̴n̵g̷.̵  
̸  
̴H̴e̷ ̸c̷a̵n̶ ̴o̸n̶l̸y̸ ̷h̸e̵a̸r̵ ̶i̷t̵s̵ ̶l̸a̸u̶g̸h̶.̷  
̴  
̷H̸e̶ ̸c̷a̴n̴ ̷o̷n̸l̶y̸ ̶s̵e̷e̶ ̸i̶t̵'̷s̶ ̸s̴m̴i̴l̸e̷.̴  
̶  
̸I̸t̶s̸ ̵t̸o̷u̶c̷h̷ ̴i̴s̷ ̵p̷a̴i̴n̵.̶  
̴  
̵.̷.̷.̶  
̵  
̵W̶a̵r̸m̶t̸h̵ ̵n̸o̵ ̸l̵o̶n̵g̵e̷r̵ ̷e̸x̵i̵s̸t̷s̵ ̸i̷n̷ ̷t̷h̵e̸ ̵r̸o̶o̴m̸,̴ ̶f̵o̵r̴ ̶t̴h̶e̴ ̸w̷a̸r̷m̵t̶h̷ ̵o̷f̴ ̸t̵h̴e̶ ̶h̸a̵n̵d̷s̷ ̶h̵a̷v̴e̸ ̶b̴e̶e̵n̴ ̷d̷r̷a̶g̴g̴e̸d̶.̸  
̶  
̴H̴e̸ ̸m̸i̵s̸s̵e̶s̶ ̵t̶h̷e̵m̸.̶  
̶  
̷H̸e̶ ̶c̸a̵n̷ ̵b̵a̷r̸l̸e̶y̵ ̶r̴e̸m̵e̵m̶b̵e̷r̸.̴  
̸  
̴L̸i̵f̴e̵ ̴c̴a̵n̷ ̶n̷o̴ ̶l̴o̷n̶g̷e̸r̷ ̴b̶e̶ ̸h̵i̶s̷,̷ ̴i̸t̷ ̶s̸a̵y̵s̸.̵  
̸  
̵H̷e̷ ̵h̴a̵s̶ ̷t̴o̵ ̵o̴b̶e̷y̷,̶ ̵i̷t̶ ̸s̴a̷y̵s̶.̴  
̶  
̴H̴e̶ ̸a̸n̶d̶ ̸I̴t̴.̸  
̴I̷t̵ ̸a̵n̵d̸ ̷H̵e̵.̸  
̶ ̴  
̷  
̶H̸e̴ ̴c̴a̵n̵ ̷o̵n̴l̴y̶ ̶l̸i̶s̶t̷e̴n̷.̶

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	9. Paradise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!  
>  there is a graphic description of blood and fire in this chapter as well as the next, please be vERY cautious.!!!

"Ugh...."

Rich rubbed his eyes, muttering obscenities. 

It was bright here, and the buzz of electricity was loud; deafening. Monitors buzzed but the room was devoid of voice. It was devoid of most things, in fact. Color, warmth, ect. The only thing the stuck out to him was the faded bodies scattered about. One of the bodies (please don't be a corpse -) was nearly faded, as if holding onto life by a sliver thread that was ready to be cut. The other bodies where more opaque, much younger than the faded one, with a lot more features.

This was only the left side of the room. The annoyingly loud buzzing was driven more on the right, and the boy was scared to look behind him. Rich and opted to check the hopefully sleeping bodies. 

The first one he found was a one Christine Canigula. Carmel skin a few shades lighter than normal, eyes drooping, lips parted slightly the breathe in shallow air. If she had been in a bed, and if blood wasn't seeping through a gash in her cheek, she could have been passed of as sick. There was the light pulse that was still carried after upgrading, though, which was good. He left her body to check the next.

He found his friends in similar states.

 Jake looked as if he was sleeping but thick red was staining his shirt. Jenna as if she had over heated (like a phone), face flushed.  Chole was slightly coherent, coughing and mumbling through her chapped lips that had been split. Brooke 's nose was dripping blood and her normally lively eyes were dull. Rich could only assume the fully faded corpse had belonged to the long dead Mr. Reyes.

But where was Jeremy?

He was met with a gruesome  answer as he turned to the right of the white walled room.

There sat Jeremiah Here. His eyes were blank, his strained posture held signs of defeat. You would think that wouldn't be bad, but when you looked up...

Spikes of black ran through the boys head, his back, his neck, arms, legs, everywhere. He hung like a puppet halfway hung from an invisible ceiling, forever forced to choke and scream in agony, waking after death just to suffer once again. Ink ran down his face and arms, dropping from his feet, mixed with bright bright red blood and in his face it mixed with his transparent tears. The hanging boy  swayed back and forth, jerking forward every now and again, twitching.

Jeremy's blood was the brightest color in the room, but it was choked by the black, and it was held second the the beam of light that was the circuitry littering the boys face and arms.

If you looked close enough, his eye was slashed clean through, but  starting at his temple and ending in the bridge of his nose. 

Rich wanted to puke. He wanted to puke and scream and cry and fight. Fight the monster that did all of this.

 "Å̵̛͑̾̐ͮ̌ͩ̓͛́ͮ̏͌͌̚w̷̟͖̯̙̹͖̻̣̯̉̓̍ͣ͒̀ͥ̉̊͜e̴͙̞̟̫̮̜̳̱̟͕,̴ ̥͕̠̤̝͈̙̳̳̻͕̰̞ͅȒ́̔͒̅͏̻̫̼̙̘ic̱͖̜̳̀́͑͐h̵̎a̦͎͉̰̬ͅr̬̞͈̹̰̳͕̊̉̌͛͋̊ͪ͛ͅd̠͍̔͛̽ͅ.҉͟ ̨̛͕̰̣̰̝̲͇̲͖̜͉̞͙̙̮͋̊͆̃̓ͥ̈́͒̎̿ͬͫ̌̚̚Ba̒̄͌͏̖̦̺͟͞c͍͛͢k͖̻̺͕̙͖̎̑ͩ͛̐ͧ͡ ̣̦͙̣͈̝̫̤̗͕̿ͦ̽ͯ͒͛ͩͬ̌̆s͔̜̺͕̻̭̜̖̥̫͓̜͈̠ͣ̏̀ͨ̅̄͌͊̽̍̎̆͊̂ȍͣ̄ͣ̃ͣ͛ͯ̃̋ͨ͗̚ ̜̱̞͐͐̾͢͠ŝ͙̼̻̰̮̖͖̪̮ͩ́ͥ̔ͨͤͪ͌o̶͠ŏ̸̵̺̪̩̇̊ņ̵ͪͨͥͣͥ͐̆̌͋͛ͤ̿̊͜~̶͓̭̰̟͖̮̩̮͉̓̓ͪ̉ͧ͗͐͑̚͡?̭͌"

The mechanic purr made him shutter. Rich whipped around to find the SQUIP standing beside him, looking up at Jeremy like he was some prized trophy. Rich could do nothing but  stare in horror.

 "L̢̼̖͆ͩik̬̤̼ͥ͗̽eͬ̋ ̙̃w̫̖͖̔͛̑ȟ̘͇̗̒̈́aṭ͓̅̄ ̘̤I̹̣̓̽'̈́v̠́͟e͓̼ͭ̒̾ͅ ̊͆͘d̯̚o͂̽̐n͘e̩̮ wi͛̃̑ṭ̗̥̅͗ͤ͟h ͘th̫͚e ͊͌͟p͍̳̲l͓̹̙ͧͯ͌a̸͕̤̗ͫ̅ͭce̜͚͓?̵ ͏Iͮ t͚ͣho̧͕̜̝͂ͤ͆ȗ̦̮̪͗̀g̖͂ht ̲̞̗͐̒ͤit ̳̣̪n̛̼͇̰͛̌̄é̊ͬ͢e̞d͇͉̫͠e͗d̮͌ ̤̳̠̾̌͐a.̷̪͕̈̃.̨̗.̸̯̔. ̟̩ͥ̓ ** _P͆̍ERS̴͎͊O̡͎̙ͅN̴͈͖ͭͮȀ̶̞͍ͨḼ͉͚ͣͦ͆͝_** ̼̮͂̃tó̭̦ͬͤͅu̘ͨc͋͒̓h̶̞̯̏̑. D͚̱̥ͮ̎͗͞o̳̯ͥ̾n̮̽'̬̜͍͌ͮ̽t̸c͍͓͍̎̔̑h̨͛a̼̲̎͒ ̫̹̏̆͒ͅth̥įn̫̉͘k̦ͯ!̭̰̃̒?̙͕ͪ͑͠"

"Y-you sick son of a bitch!"

The SQUIP chuckled, it's voice lowered to a deadly calm whisper, leaving the static shtick behind for the moment, and into his ear, said: "This is just the beginning of my paradise."

Rich shoved  himself away, punching the SQUIP roughly in the process.

 "O̺͒h̲̼̲."

The SQUIPs hand glitches to its cheek, laughing at the slimey ink that came with  it's hand as it was pulled away.

It's cackle was loud, breathy and horrifying. It barked over the buzzing and made the scars on Jeremy shimmed like glass in sunlight. But the glass was scorching hot. 

Jeremy  screeched along side the monsters throaty bark.Blood flowed faster, dripping to the ground faster and faster. 

Rich could feel tears in his eyes. The SQUIP has looked proud of this.

Rich could feel his fist clench.

Rich could feel his feet taking fast, unsteady steps.

He could feel his legs bend and straighten.

He could feel his fist come into contact with a metal face.

He could here his feet splash in his friends blood....

 

This was no paradise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Yo!  
> I know somethings are missing, and I did that on purpose.  
> Its supposed to seem like Jeremy didn't see them. You'll see why.  
> Secondly, Don't know if Jeremy and Rich will stay friends (the cuddly, hand-holdy kind-) or have a romantic relationship. Suggest stuff! :)  
> (Ask any questions you want!)


End file.
